


The Idolmaster: Glasses Are Unbreakable

by Mitsuboshi



Category: THE iDOLM@STER
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Multi-Imas series crossover, Semi-Parody(?), Shinsoku Ikkon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-10-23 02:04:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 22,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10709880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mitsuboshi/pseuds/Mitsuboshi
Summary: As everyone lives their everyday lives, Genbu Kurono does his best to right what is wrong and fight for the good of others. Aiding him is his glasses-obsessed partner Haruna, a 'guardian spirit' known as an Idol. They are both led into a fateful encounter with Suzaku Akai, a hot-blooded youth with his own Idol partner, Yuka. As their paths cross, they are all drawn into a bizzare string of events that threaten the peace. Gaining new allies and fighting new enemies, they find that not everything is as it seems, chasing after the shadow of a mysterious menace pulling the strings.





	1. Encounter: Side A

**Author's Note:**

> I guess because I like Imas and Jojo too much I started writing this little idea I had. Although it's mostly written for my own benefit, I hope you manage to get some enjoyment out of it too!

A wise man once said: “Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not want.” If everyone in the world were to follow those words, a lot of the current problems faced today would not exist. By learning even a fraction of the teachings imparted by great scholars, society would be uplifted to tremendous heights, free from pettiness and greed. Sadly, man had yet to attain this enlightenment, which resulted in the current situation at hand.

“Well look at you being all high and mighty.”

The voice was raspy and contemptuous, a wide smile lighting his pompous face while two other boys flanked him. They only augmented the leader’s rather fearsome physique, leaving a strong presence in the empty playground they stood in. These were the kind of people that prevented this world from being a better place. Across from them was a young man who dared to challenge their dominance. His swept back hair and bespectacled sharp eyes certainly left an impression on the trio, especially the peculiar scar above his right eye....

“I don't intend to start a fight before asking you to give back what you took.” His voice was calm, but he kept an icy stare locked on to the group of troublemakers. “We don't need any unnecessary violence.”

The leader let out a harsh laugh while the mysterious stranger in front of him kept up his stern composure. “Oh wow, you're just rich!” he bellowed as his lackeys snickered in unison. “But ya know... you're absolutely right. Would be a shame to get our hands dirty, so what do you say we play a game?”

The stoic young man raised a brow. “A game?”

“A game!” The leader exclaimed. “Pretty simple one too, and it gives you a fair opportunity.”

_“Fair? As if!”_

“Tell me what you have in mind first,” the bespectacled man clearly had his interest piqued.

The leader gave a boisterous shrug. “Heh, it's easy to follow.” He then gave a quick snap of his fingers, prompting one of his lackeys to pull something out of their pocket and hurl it directly at their target. With a swift reflex he caught the item --a red balled-up fabric-- unfurling it to discover a bandanna.

“All you have to do is blindfold yourself, and while blindfolded,” before continuing he proceeded to pull out a bulky handheld item in his own pocket. He gripped it in his right hand, ready to illustrate the rules further. “You'll have to guess which hand I'll be holding _this_ in. It could just be staying in my right hand, or I could have moved it out left. If you guess right, we'll give it back to you. Guess wrong, we're keeping it, but you get a chance to walk away without a scratch. What do you say? It's a fifty-fifty chance. Either way you don't have much to lose.”

“ _I_   _knew it. This ‘game’ IS unfair! How can you--_ ”

“Alright, I accept.”

_“What!?”_

The leader’s grin grew even bigger. “Great! Now hurry up and put it on so we can start.”

Without speaking a word, the stranger did as told, tying the thick bandanna over his bespectacled eyes. Other than faint light seeping through, he couldn't see a thing. The group let out another wave of obnoxious giggling while their challenger continued to remain steadfast.

“Alrighty. Let the games begin! Now answer me: what hand I'm I holding it in. My left, or right?”

“Before I answer, let me ask you one thing,” the young man spoke up. The group grew a bit perplexed, but quickly grew into annoyance at the delay.

“Huh? What are ya talkin' about? Just answer the question!”

“I’m sure you can spare a moment to answer my own.” He didn’t budge an inch while speaking. Yet despite the handicap to his sight, he exuded an aura of confidence in his vulnerable state. “Just what purpose do you find in doing things like petty theft? Is it power? Dominance over those helpless against you? Do you truly find joy in trampling over them? You don’t have to answer those questions, but at least answer this next one I have.”

The gang found themselves speechless, unable to utter anything to counter as the man continued to speak his mind. “Despite the vile deeds you commit, do you really intend to play this game fairly?”

A strong feeling erupted in the leader’s chest. But it wasn’t the desire to laugh. Rather a steaming anger at the condescending words spoken to him. “What the hell are you talking about!? Do you think you’re all cool, talking like a manga character!? Quit your yapping! Just play the damn game and tell me! Right or left!?”

The blindfolded stranger only let out a disappointing sigh. “So you can’t even answer.... It is truly foolish to deal with a fool.” In a swift motion he brought up his arm, pointing directly at the group as he faced them directly. Even with the blindfold on, it felt like his eyes were piercing directly at them.

“You might not answer me, but I will answer you. And my answer is: neither.”

An audible gasp forced itself from the leader’s mouth. “W-what!?”

“I’m sure you’re ready to deny it,” the young man resumed. “But it’s clear as day. Rather than right or left, you already put it back into your coat pocket. What’s in your hands instead are a pair of brass knuckles you’re about to put on.”

By now the leader choked out a louder cry of shock, his body trembling as he gripped the very brass knuckles his challenger had described. The sheer might he had over his prey, the superiority he held over this space; all of it started to wobble and creak at the foundations. Never it did it occur that _he_ of all people would feel threatened. His own lackeys could sense his own bewilderment, only adding to their own. The mysterious man who miraculously defied him remained composed as ever, and in the raging sea of uncertain emotions, the leader reacted with the only thing that made sense to him.

“Y-you piece of shit!” he roared, slipping on the brass knuckles. "I don't know how you cheated, but as if that's gonna save you from me!”

He lunged forward, his fists tightened and ready to smash into that bespectacled face. Within moments he closed the gap, but the blindfolded man just remained still. He didn't even bother to free himself of his handicap, although this detail didn't matter at all. Already in striking distance, the enraged leader launched his right fist forward.

_“Go right.”_

It should have been an easy punch. After all, without any sight how could he tell when and from where he would be hit? In fact, he didn't make any attempts to run and just stood there. By all accounts he set himself up to be hit. The reality came far from the ideal however, and something else began to play out.

Just before his fist could come in contact with its intended target, the man shifted his body off to the right in a fluid motion. The leader stumbled from his own momentum, his mind hardly beginning to process what just happened. Behind him his own lackeys just stared in shock, they, too, burdened with what they just witnessed. Despite his confusion, the leader hastily attempted to recover his composure -- get another shot at this guy quickly. But before he could even _think_ about how he would achieve his next move, his thought processes were interrupted by an uppercut straight to his jaw. The leader’s body fell down to the ground with an audible thud, unable to think of anything but the pain coursing through him as incoherent babbling escaped his mouth.

“B-boss!” His two underlings cried in shock. All they could do was watch their leader, a man who won them over with his intimidating strength, lie on the ground as a helpless wreck. The blindfolded challenger --who didn't even intend to remove it-- had his head facing down over the fallen leader, almost as if he could see him. He reached and grabbed him by the collar, lifting the beaten thug close to his blindfolded face. Those unseen eyes could still be felt, a venerable pressure that introduced something the leader hadn't felt in a long time: fear.

“If you don't intend to play a game by the rules, don't speak out about others who do as well.” The man promptly dropped the leader to the ground again, his brazen bravado replaced with dripping terror like a frightened child. “Now, how about you give back what you took? Or...?”

He didn't need to finish the rest as the leader hastily brought out the item in question, pulling it out of his jacket, and put it on the ground as if he were giving a peace offering. Immediately he proceeded to get up clumsily before breaking out in a full sprint, whimpering all the while as his panicked lackeys followed not too far behind.

As their footsteps became a sound too distant, the man went ahead and untied the blindfold from his eyes. He looked down, seeing the item was indeed returned. Picking it up, he glanced over to a tree behind him, a smile lighting up on his normally stern demeanor.

“You can come out now.” he hollered.

Slowly, the head of a little boy peeked out from behind the tree. Hesitation still glittering in his eyes. “Are they really gone now?” he asked softly.

“Yeah,” the man said reassuringly, heavily contrasting the threatening tone he had earlier. He held out the item for the boy to see. This was enough to stir him out of hiding, and with eagerness he ran out towards the strange man.

“Thank you so much, mister!” the child said with glee, taking the stolen item --a hand-held gaming console-- and admiring it like a lost treasure.

“Let tell me know if those troublemakers start bothering you again,” he told the boy, putting a firm hand on his shoulder. “I have a feeling they won’t any more, but I’m always willing to teach them another lesson if they forget. Okay?”

The boy nodded, no longer a trace of fear or hesitation present within him. With newfound relief and joy, the boy waved goodbye as his hero for the day waved back, walking away from the park towards the unknown.

There were always rumors that circulated around town. People with mysterious abilities, underground gangs struggling against one another, individuals controlling things from the shadows. Stories were shared about how terrifying and dangerous these elements can be. But there were heroes in those stories, too. Passersby who come and go, righting wrongs in a flash before disappearing. They might just be stories; tales for entertainment. But as the young boy stared off into the distance, he was certain that one of those heroes just walked out of legend and into reality to save the day.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t long since the aforementioned hero finished his business at the park. But if he were to be called a legend, he'd brush it off. He wasn't exactly some larger than life figure. Just a guy named Genbu Kurono, attempting to live life according to his values.

Walking at a steady pace, he did his best to forget about the awful bunch that challenged him earlier, and focus on his next destination. That little scuffle cost him some time, but it's not like he was in a rush. Unlike every other day, there wasn’t a target to meet, timed interventions to help fulfill. Although if there was one thing he didn’t like, it was keeping _her_ waiting. But to his surprise, she kept unusually quiet -- and out of sight for that matter -- since they left the park.

Feeling slightly unnerved by the silence, he began to speak. “Are you alright?”

If it were anyone else, he seemed to be talking to thin air. If it was just your average human being, it would look strange that he was waiting for a reply. But to those who possessed _it,_  the ability only spoken of in urban legends, they would soon hear a voice speak back.

“ _...I’m fine."_

A dejected tone told him otherwise. “Come on, something’s obviously bothering you. You can go ahead and tell me, Haruna.”

To those who could see it, a slight shimmer began to form right next to him. It gradually intensified and condensed into a vaguely human silhouette, become more and more defined until the form of a young girl came into being. Her attire seemed out of place to those who could see her, consisting of a blue dress with a lighter blue cape draped over her shoulders. Along with blue gloves over her hands, a small hat with a feathered tip sat atop her short dark hair. But her most defining trait (as she would call it) was her pink rimmed glasses, worn over amber eyes that currently had the look of disappointment.

“Okay, look Genbu-san,” the girl named Haruna sighed. Her body hovered slightly off the ground before landing gently on her feet. “I’m super happy you took down those thugs and helped that boy, but...”

“But?”

“Geez!” Her voice grew irritated. “Did you really have to keep that blindfold on? I know you wanted to prove something with my ability, but that brief moment of action would have been better if I could see your glasses!”

“That’s it?”

“Of course!” As she begun to go into further detail, her irritation quickly turned into heated passion. “Just imagine, dodging that lowlife’s punch, your glasses sparkling in the sunlight as you give him a cold stare, then proceed to counter attack with one swift blow! It would have looked cool! If only your wondrous glasses weren’t hidden from sight!”

Haruna finished her rant with a small whine, leaving Genbu somewhat lost at what to say. “Good grief,” he muttered to himself, but he cracked a small smile. He had long been used to her all-encompassing obsession with glasses, but there were still times where he couldn’t see it coming. Even so, he couldn’t call that trait of hers a burden.

“I’ll make sure they won’t be covered up again.”

“Let’s make sure they won’t!” Haruna exclaimed as her mood shifted to cheerfulness. “As your Idol, I always want to ensure that you and your glasses are in best form!”

“Right,” Genbu replied, trying to remove any doubts about whether she cared more for him or his glasses. “Speaking of best form though... shouldn’t you power down already? It’s not just my energy I’m concerned about, it’s yours as well.”

“Eh?” Haruna perked up, looking down at herself only realizing now she still had her costume on. “Ah! Sorry! I was kinda hung up about earlier that I almost forget, hehehehe....”

A brief light encompassed Haruna’s being, shining intensely for a moment before dissipating. In it’s place, her elaborate costume was replaced by somewhat “normal” attire, consisting of a white shirt with a cat print and an ordinary pink skirt.

“There!” She said, presenting her now unassuming appearance. Even if someone did manage to see her, at least she didn't stand out in contrast to her ‘awakened’ state. Genbu gave a small nod of approval as he and Haruna continued their walk. This time side by side instead of her being a disembodied spirit. The latter form might have been easier to manifest, but it was agreed upon long ago that they'd rather talk face to face.

“I wonder if those green framed glasses are still on sale,” Haruna mused as they continued along. “Don't you think those would look great with the rest of the new collection? They would, right?”

“You mean the ones we saw the other day?” Genbu asked, starting to look a little skeptical. “Wouldn't they clash with all the blue? The frame’s too green, isn't it?”

“They're more or less similar to the blue ones,” she argued. “Besides, don't you think if we displayed it in the middle it would add a nice subtlety? Like an odd one out? It's a great opportunity here!”

Amidst her building excitement, Genbu thought about it for a moment, but ultimately wasn't convinced. “Haruna, I know you’re excited about those glasses, but put things into perspective here. Are they really suitable for the collection, or do you just want them because they were on sale?”

“Huh!?” Haruna choked out at the suggestion. “Of course not! I think they'd be perfect! Really! And how can you throw away a sale like that anyway?”

“Just because it's on sale doesn't mean you should just buy them on impulse,” Genbu countered. “You might end up regretting it later.”

“Please, Genbu-san.” She chided. “As if _any_ pair of glasses would be a ‘regretful purchase’. I'd buy out the whole store if I could!”

“And if we did that, we’d be more than broke.” He replied, cocking his head to the side. ”Money doesn't grow on trees. Remember who's doing all the buying here.”

Haruna pouted. “Hey, that's not fair. I work just as hard as you do, you know.”

At that Genbu had no argument. Only because she was absolutely right. The power of an Idol wasn't something to be taken for granted. Definitely not in the kind of situations he usually ended up in. “I'm sorry,” he said all of a sudden. “I realize that was rather careless of me to say.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s okay, I know what you mean. But please, Genbu-san, think of the poor glasses!” Haruna pleaded, looking at him with eyes similar to a begging puppy. At this point, Genbu relented.

“We’ll look at them again when we get there. And if it’s what you really want, we’ll buy them.”

“Great!” She cheered. “Don’t worry Genbu-san. I’m sure when you see them again, you’ll be fully convinced that they’re a good match!”

“Yeah,” he simply replied, unable to keep himself from smiling. He wasn’t the kind of guy to give in so easily. But when it came to her, the one who gave him the opportunity to save others, he didn’t mind all that much. In a world that constantly shifted in the background, unseen or felt by the masses, it seemed like he could truly play a part in something bigger. Besides, she earned it with the hard work she did today. Although he wasn’t responsible for any regret Haruna might feel for her purchase. Then again, when it came to glasses, how could she?

 

* * *

 

No one knew exactly where they came from, or how they came to be, but for whatever reason, a small amount of people had the ability to manifest a mysterious _guardian spirit_. Groups ranging from secret government commissions to illicit underground organizations -- many sought to understand this power. Was it spiritual? A psychic manifestation explained by science? Even the exact time they came into existed eluded many. But even if people debated their origins and potential, at least they all knew what to call this existence: Idol.

Some likened it to the fact that these beings represented the powers of a deity, but another mindset --stemming from the various costumes they possessed-- was linked to the singing idols that dominated popular culture. Whatever the meaning, the name stuck. The concept of an Idol, or the ‘Idolmasters’ that had them, eluded the outside world. The only glimmer a normal person could get were blog posts in the deep corners of the web, or simple rumors passed along children. But, as Genbu observed the busy shopping mall, hardly anyone realized these mythical spirits existed, let alone realize that one was standing among them right now.

Finally at their destination, Genbu and Haruna waded through the vast number of people walking about the narrow hall. Up above, an orange hue lit the sky, signaling that the day was starting to come to an end. By now the complex was filled with those looking to hang out and unwind, or grab necessary items along the way home. Whatever the business, no one paid much heed to anyone else's but their own.

Passing through the countless shops that lined the establishment, the one they were looking for came into view, and by then Haruna increased her pace. The Blue Napoleon eyewear shop was a pretty modest establishment, maybe save for the fancy name. It’s owner didn’t have any real regulars that came in often, and the only one to truly hold that title could only be Genbu (and Haruna if they realized she existed). Past the entrance, the shop owner, an aging man with grey hair and glasses of his own, greeted Genbu with a polite bow. Genbu greeted him kindly in return before proceeding towards the back of the small shop. Compared to the sea of people roaming about outside, the fact that there weren't many customers made this place a nice retreat.

“Right here, Genbu-san!” Haruna said as she headed towards a small table display. An array of marked-down glasses were line up before them, a collection of different shapes and colors that had the right price for someone in need of new eyewear. But among all these great deals, it didn't take a second for Haruna to spot the one she desired.

“What do you think?” Haruna eagerly asked as she pointed them out. Even though he saw this pair before, Genbu took the pair of glasses and gave them a closer analysis, as if it were a work of art. The thin, rectangular frame had a nice sheen to them, colored in a vibrant sea green that made it stand out against the other glasses present. The shade didn’t contrast heavily with the blue in the collection, yet the fact that it stood out at all could throw the display off balance. But it did have exquisite quality... and Haruna was right, who could argue with the price?

“So...?” Haruna asked inquisitively as Genbu mulled over his opinion.

“It's better now that I've really looked at it,” he answered. “But you're absolutely sure this is what you want?”

“Positive!” she said determined.

Genbu smiled. “Alright then, we’ll buy it.”

“Yes!” Haruna cried with glee, tight fists raised towards her chest as excitement spilled across her face. Her reaction wasn’t anything new. Whatever the purchase, the excitement she exhibited made her act like a kid in a candy store. A bit odd to apply to an otherworldly being, but Genbu learned long ago that assumptions were always challenged.

“Mind if I take a look around before we buy it?” She asked. “I don't want to leave so soon.”

“Sure. But don't think about buying anything else today.”

“Of course, of course,” the glasses-obsessed Idol waved her hand reassuringly. “Maybe we can find a new pair for you too!”

“ _Did she not listen to what I just said?”_ Genbu thought to himself. “The current pair I have suits me just fine.”

“You say that now, but I bet there's something here that'll change your mind!” She chirped happily as she began scanning through the glasses. Genbu opened his mouth, ready to rebuke such a statement, but a vibration in his pants pocket caught his attention instead.

 _“Is it them?_ ”

Slowly, he reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone. His reflection appeared dimly on the blank, glass screen, showing a look of reluctance. Already Genbu could only guess who sent this. If it was the usual suspects, he hope they didn't have a request for him right now. Being the designated ‘Idol boy’ to call on had its advantages. But already they dealt with three Idol related cases in one week. Not that he considered these tasks a bother, but after seeing Haruna gleefully looking at the glasses, he hated to be the one to keep cutting her enjoyment short. Abandoning any hesitation, a quick tap on the power button brought the screen to life, showing one new message displayed on the lock screen.

The sender definitely fitted as one of ‘the usual suspects’, but not the one he expected.

“Is it the Hagiwaras again?” Genbu looked up to see Haruna watching him, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

“Well, yes,” he replied, looking a little relieved. “But thankfully someone we’re more close with.”

“Ah! Is it Yukiho-chan?”

Genbu nodded his head. Out of all the people that made up the Hagiwara family, at least he could rely on their young daughter to be a friendlier face. He brought his phone screen up towards Haruna, displaying the message their long time friend had to say.

 

**_Please watch out today. They say the Massive Riders having been really acting up lately. You and Haruna-chan be careful!_ **

**_-Yukiho_ **

 

“Heh,” Haruna giggled. “She’s as worrisome as ever.”

“She’s got a reason, too,” Genbu responded. Even if she tended to worry, it wasn’t over nothing. “The Massive Riders have been causing more trouble on the streets since last week.”

“Is it really something to worry about?” Haruna shrugged. The Idol went back to looking among the glasses displays as she continued talking. “They’re just a low-rate biker gang. You don’t see them causing any real damage do you? All they do is ride around yelling stuff and acting tough. Not the kind of people we usually have to deal with. Just best to stay out of it.”

“If I told you they were coming to wreck this store-”

In a heartbeat, Haruna turned away from the glasses and looked at Genbu steely in the eye. “We’d end them the moment we see them.”

Genbu let out a small sigh. “I figured that would provoke your attention. Anyway, even if they’re just being rowdy, clearly something has them stirred up....”

“Whatever it is, just let the cops handle it,” Haruna suggested. Genbu’s sense of justice always served as an admirable trait. But even he had to have limits. “Akuno-san and Katagiri-san can really straighten out those kids, I'm sure of it!”

“If it's those two, perhaps you're right,” Genbu chuckled. But quickly soon after, the look of contemplation showed across his face. “Still, I have trouble turning a blind eye from trouble in our midst. You know I can't easily abandon my oath.”

“Remember, you're not the only one with an oath,” she responded in turn. “I swore I’d protect you and your wellbeing. We’ve been fighting Idolmasters lately as it is. And I can't have you running around and over-exhausting yourself. Got it?”

The young Idolmaster relented. “Got it.” No point in trying to argue against that.

 

* * *

 

After a couple more minutes of browsing, the pair was finally ready to leave the store. Once they finished making their payment, they left the tranquil space of the glasses shop, and back into the ever-moving sea of people with the newest piece of their collection. Genbu gripped the handles of the tiny plastic bag securely in his hand, watching Haruna hardly containing her eagerness to get home.

“I can envision it all set up in my head, but I really need to see it for myself!” She exclaimed in excitement. Genbu nodded along as she expressed more of her display plans, mumbling an ‘ah’ or ‘I see’ while his thoughts began drifted elsewhere.

The world didn't have any shortage of danger, and the dangers of a local biker gang seemed low on the list of problems. Still, the words of Aesop rung true in his mind: Destroy the seed of evil or it will grow up to your ruin. No shortage of chastising remarks would come his way if Haruna heard him speak that.

She did have a point after all; he had allies in the police that could figure this out. Yet to remove himself from matters affecting the peace didn't suit him. It wasn't just the issue of the Massive Riders that weighed on his mind: the uptick of Idol related incidents too. To develop an Idol granted someone great power and privilege, a gift that only a select few could achieve. As far as he knew, the city didn't harbor a great deal of Idolmasters; those who acted with ill intent would pop up on occasion, but they'd go for weeks without a single Idol activity.

Having the Massive Riders cause an uproar at the same time as these increased Idol incidents seemed more than mere coincidence. But it was too early to jump to conclusions. More pieces were needed in the growing puzzle before him. And where those pieces fit together were another challenge ahead. If only... if only....

“Genbu-san!”

The angry call snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing Genbu to look at the highly displeased face of his Idol. “Have you been listening to anything I said at all?”

“Sorry,” he said, shaking away his thoughts. “I just got distracted.”

“Don't tell me....” Haruna looked over her partner. Even if their link didn't allow her to read his mind directly, she already knew what he was thinking. “You’re still thinking about the Massive Riders?”

“Not just that,” he admitted. “Considering the amount of Idol cases we handled this week, I'm starting to wonder if things are more than they appear.”

“Didn't I tell you not to trouble yourself with these things?” Haruna groaned. “I'm sure whatever the Riders are up to has nothing to do with all these Idols. For someone who insists on living a ‘balanced lifestyle’, you stress yourself out too much. You need to focus on better things, like arranging the collection with the new glasses!”

Genbu could only shoot her a skeptical look. “For my own benefit, right?”

“Naturally!” Haruna chirped. “Enjoying the pristine view of glasses is far better than looking for trouble-”

As they walked through the crowd, a hard shove caught Genbu off guard. Stumbling a bit, he looked down to see a girl fallen on her knees beside him. Her slightly messy hair and green tracksuit made an impression on him, although Haruna (as predicted) seemed to take more interest in her large, circular glasses.

“Wow, those look really cute on her!” She marveled as Genbu bent down to help her up.

“Are you alright?” He asked calmly. The girl seemed to grumbled to herself about the fall, but as Genbu reached out his hand towards her, she suddenly slapped it away as her eyes grew wide and startled.

“I-I’m fine!” She insisted, in spite of the shaky tone of her voice. The girl hastily picked herself up from the floor, bumping through the crowd as fast as she could. Genbu and Haruna could only watch her slowly disappear into the masses, no doubt towards the exit of the shopping complex.

“That was odd....” Haruna mused as Genbu stood equally bewildered.

“Seemed like she was in a hurry,” he muttered. The strange encounter floated in his mind for a few seconds, but with a shrug he prepared to leave it be and continue home. However, just as he was ready to dismiss it, something on the ground caught his eye.

Upon a close examination, it looked like a small notebook. Did the girl drop it when she bumped into him? Must have forgotten about it in her haste to leave. Whatever this was, it must be something important. Genbu picked it up off the ground, his eyes gazing over the people moving about. Looked like he wasn't ready to forget about her just yet.

“Haruna, that girl had glasses, right?”

“Obviously,” she said incredulously while giving him a hard stare. “How could you forget those!?”

“No, I know that....” Genbu insisted. “But if she's wearing those, I need you to see her vision so I can track her down while she's still nearby. Not sure what this notebook is, but I'm sure it's personal to her.”

“Oh! I'm on it!” Haruna’s body became consumed in a bright light, quickly dissipating to reveal her costumed appearance once more. Now ‘awakened’, Haruna’s feet slowly lifted off the ground as she levitated ahead of her partner and towards her target. She didn't have to get right next to her to use her ability, but she had to be close enough to properly employ it. Seeing the green tracksuit-clad girl in her midst, Haruna’s brows furrowed in concentration, hoping the target wasn't far enough to be out of range.

After another few seconds, the right lens of her glasses began to display a different image. Like watching video camera footage, she saw the first person perspective of someone up ahead leaving the shopping mall, no doubt the view of the girl they intended to chase after.

“Got her!” Haruna called out. “We need to hurry though or I'll lose her sight.”

“Understood, thank you,” Genbu acknowledged with satisfaction, slipping the small notebook into his pocket. “Let's go!”

The powers given by an Idol weren't held by everyone. But rumors of those powers persisted among the hushed whispers of society, giving birth to vague, imposing legends who were said to be able to crush whole armies in mere seconds. An Idol certainly could possess terrifying abilities, but Haruna wasn't one of them. Although that didn't mean _Shine of Spectacles_ wasn't a valuable power. 

Once they reached the exit, the duo went out into the streets as they tried to follow the girl’s path. Judging by the pace things seemed to go by in Haruna’s right lens, she seemed to be sprinting. Genbu broke out into a sprint of his own as Haruna floated beside him, trying her hardest to keep the girl’s glasses in focus as the image on her right lens slowly wavered.

“I'm starting to lose her,” Haruna informed him as she motioned Genbu to make a right turn. “What's she in a hurry for anyway?”

 _“_ I can't say,” Genbu muttered in between breaths. “But hopefully we can catch up.”

Their dash continued, Haruna giving more directions to Genbu as the girl seemed so close, yet so far away. The effort to give back her item might have been excessive, but to extend kindness with good deeds made up one of several tenets to the young man’s personal oath. Already it looked like they wandered past the bustling areas of the city, and now the streets hardly had a soul on them. Even then, they couldn't catch a glimpse of the girl anywhere at all, while Haruna barely maintained the sight of her glasses.

“Once you reach the end of this road, make a left,” the Idol instructed. “I think she's running into an alleyway?”

 _Alleyway?_ Genbu thought. Their chase brought them into a zigzag across town, but just where was she heading to? He prepared to turn the corner Haruna mentioned, hoping he was closer to catching up and give back her notebook. A straight answer on why she was running would be nice too. Only, before that could happen, Genbu made an abrupt stop when he noticed Haruna also stopped moving, a look of confusion clearly on her face.

“Haruna? What's wrong?”

“Huh?” She mumbled, a bit baffled at what she was seeing. “It looks like... she fell. In the alley. She's not moving either.”

“Did she trip again? Is she unconscious?” Genbu questioned with growing urgency.

“I can't tell,” Haruna shook her head. “She was running, then she just stood still for a moment before collapsing.” _Shine of Spectacles_ only allowed a view of what glasses ‘see’. Akin to seeing the display of a video camera. No way she could tell about the person’s well-being.

A deep frown developed on Genbu’s face. “This doesn't sound good. Let's hurry.”

The two rounded the corner and headed into the dark alleyway Haruna saw. Up ahead, they could make out her body lying on the ground, face down on the payment. Cautiously, they moved closer to the girl. “Are you okay!?” Genbu hollered. No answer. They continued closer, noting how still her body was. Did she really get unconscious from the fall? Finally over her, Genbu crouched down and tried to shake her awake.

“Hey, you alright?” he asked again as he turned her over. “Don't worry, I'm not going to-”

He couldn't finish what he was going to say. His eyes widened with pure shock, letting out a gasp at what he saw. The girl’s eyes, too, were wide open, same with her mouth. A look of pure terror cemented itself over her pale face, her body largely absent of any life.

“N-no way,” Haruna sputtered in disbelief. “Is she really...?”

Genbu checked her pulse, confirming what he already knew. “Dead.” Vexation flowed through him upon uttering that word. Whatever questions he had before, a new set began piling up before him. He examined the body closely; no stab wounds, nothing from a gunshot. She didn't suffer a fatal head injury, because Haruna witnessed her standing still before dying. Then what did this? The questions consumed his attention, until the sound of footsteps made him and Haruna turn their heads.

With red hair reminiscent of hot flames, a young man clad in an open black jacket stood at the entrance of the alley. It was hard to miss at first, but perched on his shoulder was a small cat, dressed in a small scarf and cap. He looked like one of the usual delinquents they'd encounter, but this new arrival’s face also took on a look of bewilderment.

“What? W-what the hell?” He choked out, his gaze locked on to the dead body. His expression of confusion then gave way to something else. His narrow eyes began reflecting with pure fury. “What the hell is this!? What did you do you sick bastard!”

“Wait!” Genbu called out to the stranger. “You're highly mistaken. I found her like this-”

“Don't mess with me!” He roared with rage. “I saw you two chasing after this girl. I had a feeling you were up to no good, but I'd never thought you'd resort to killing!”

“You two?” Haruna repeated in astonishment. “Hold on, you can see me!?”

“Of course I can,” the man insisted. “I knew there were other guys out there with these weird powers. But I won't let you run around abusing them for horrible crimes like this!”

 _An Idolmaster?_ “Hear me out, you've got it all wrong!” Genbu attempted again to convince him. But the burning resolve on his face didn't appear swayed. The cat on his shoulder started to hiss while the man tightened his knuckles.

“Quit talking! You're gonna pay for what you did!” Before uttering his next words, he stretched out his fist towards his would-be adversaries. “I’m Suzaku Akai, known as the Explosive Flame Suzaku! And I swear I'll bring down all the evil in this world, starting with you! Let's go, Yuka!”

In a blinding flash, a new figure materialized next to him. With her hair tied in two black twintails, her costume appeared similar to a Chinese cheongsam colored pink and deep crimson. It's flowing skirt and detachable sleeves faintly fluttered in the wind, while her expression took on an equally determined look.

“Osu!” she cried out shortly after appearing. “I don't know what kind of ability you have, but don't think it'll protect you from us! Suzaku-kun, let's do our best!”

“Yeah!” The man named Suzaku shouted confidently. “You should be afraid. The minute I was born was the day evil was already doomed!”

“W-well you gotta admire their enthusiasm....” Haruna laughed uneasily.

Laying the body down properly, Genbu stood up and stared at his challengers head on. “Haruna, be prepared.”

She gave a resolute nod, staying close to her partner as the battle begun.

It seemed far-fetched to think anyone would hear about this fight. But even if it seemed like their eyes and ears weren't present, stories and rumors still had a habit of being formed and spread like a disease. Those eager to share spread them far and wide, sometimes twisting these stories further and further from the truth. But as facts become distorted, certain details always endured. Whatever really resulted in this fated encounter, the sole fact remained: this was the start of a new legend.

 

* * *

 

**Idol Profile Part 1**

 

**Idol: Haruna**

**Idolmaster: Genbu Kurono**

**Stats:**

**Attack** (The capacity an Idol possess to inflict damage) **:**   E

 **Guard**  (The capacity to defend themselves and their Idolmaster) **:**  B

 **Stamina** (The endurance possessed to fight and use abilities in battle) ** **:**** C

 **Speed** (The ability to move swiftly and respond to threats) **:**  C

 **Distance** (The active range an Idol can move away from their Idolmaster before losing energy) **:** S

 **Bond**  (The natural bond between Idol and Idolmaster that strengthens them overall in battle) **:** S

 **Ability Name:** **Shine of Spectacles**

A highly versatile ability, **Shine of Spectacles** allows Genbu to see anything from Haruna’s glasses, and vice versa. Even if he were blindfolded, so long as his glasses are worn over his eyes, he can still see through Haruna’s glasses. Haruna herself can also see through the glasses of other people, allowing her to gain insight into what a person is doing, and help Genbu plan accordingly. Haruna must focus on the person in her line of sight if she is to see through their glasses, and the effect will only remain active at a certain distance before fading away. As Genbu gained Haruna at a young age, he has help develop her ability through their growth, giving it newer properties beyond it's original powers.


	2. Encounter: Side B

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bold italics denote words spoken in English.

Life had a habit of hitting you hard and fast. So as the saying goes. A moment one finds themselves doing the usual, boring routine, then before they knew it, everything goes crazy around them. The whole works: Aliens invade, the town blows up, their friends are actually aliens, too! And then they find they gotta carry the whole world on their shoulders and fight to save the people they love.

The youth named Suzaku Akai already knew that was the stuff found in comics and TV, however. A figment of kids’ wild imaginations. Not that he wished for the invaders to come down in flying saucers so he could fight them. What he’d rather fight was more close to home; knocking down the wicked living on planet Earth. But a complete 180 of his world seemed like a fantasy that felt out of reach....

...Which is why his mind was sent reeling when it _did_ happen. Except it didn't start with an alien invasion. It started with a girl.

With a heavy gulp, Suzaku tried his best to stop freaking out over what he saw. Kneeling on his bedroom floor, a young girl silently looked at him from across the room. With her pink and red Chinese dress, she looked like someone from a Kung-Fu movie. Aside from the peculiarities to her attire, she had her dark hair tied up into twin tails, while her face had maintained a serious, disciplined expression as she patiently waited for him to say something.

The reality of the situation made him unable to speak. His mornings weren't supposed to be like this at all. All he had to do was get up from bed, eat breakfast, and rush out to school. Not get up from bed, then fall to the ground after seeing a girl in his room! “ _What the hell is this!?”_ He panicked internally as sweat dewed from his forehead. “ _These are the kind of fantasies for desperate dudes! You gotta be kidding me right now!”_

Sitting on the floor cross-legged, Suzaku averted his eyes downward from his newest guest, trying to figure out just how this could happen. Yesterday wasn't out of the ordinary: he got back from school, ate some pancakes, then went to bed. Then he woke up with an awful headache before he found his current ‘visitor’ on the same spot on the floor there, introducing herself and calling him ‘master’. Maybe there was something nasty in the pancakes? Like drugs or something?

A part of him wanted to believe that the moment he looked up, she would just disappear like nothing happened at all. But to his dismay, the girl remained in front of him, her stare still as unsettling as ever. Desperate for an answer, he sent a small glance over to his bed, hoping that his pet cat Nyako might help him. The small feline could only stare at him, with a look spelling out confusion in their bright blue eyes; another dead end.

“Hm....” Suzaku closed his eyes, bringing a hand to his chin. Silence continued to hang around the room as he retreated into deeper thought. The strange girl remained steadfast, observing what her supposed master would do next. Despite his shocking reaction to her presence earlier, her expression did not waver. Then, what sounded like a grunt changed that.

Weird noises, like huffing, started to emerge from him, albeit as if he were trying to contain them. The stark seriousness that capitalized her face started to fade. Now confusion began to takes its place. She opened her mouth, as if beginning to ask a question. But suddenly whatever Suzaku tried to keep contained let itself loose, and she had no chance to speak as bellowing laughter broke the silence.

“Hahahahaha! I get it!” His voice rang out with relief, a big grin on his face. “I'm on TV, right?”

The girl finally got to speak. “What?”

“Wow, I can't believe you guys! Which prank show is this? Geez, you really had me goin’ there for awhile. Where are you hiding the cameras anyway?” He asked as he glanced all over the room. “Seriously, that was one killer joke!”

“H-hey!” The girl objected, her brow furrowed a little in annoyance. “I'm not joking! I told you, I'm suppose to be your Idol!”

“Look, the gig is up,” Suzaku insisted as he tried looking for the ‘hidden cameras’. “You can stop pretending being whatever.”

“It is nothing but the truth,” she countered resolutely. “You were the one who scouted me. Therefore, you are my master!”

“I don’t know what the hell you mean by that, but give it up already!” He had no clue what kind of show this was, but boy did they like to drag out the joke. There had to be guys hiding around here watching him too, right? Just as Suzaku sat up, ready to tear the place down to find the men filming his reactions, his door slammed open. For a second he thought one of the show hosts would barge in and tell him he'd been pranked, but the physically imposing man standing there was all too familiar.

“Suzaku!” The older man growled. “Just what the hell is with all the noise?”

“Dad!?” Suzaku gasped in surprise. “Are you in on this too?”

His father shot him an irritated look. “In on what? If you keep shouting so early in the morning you’re gonna wake up the neighbours! Just what are you on about anyway?”

“Y-you know! The prank show! Like this girl here’s a part of it too, right?” Suzaku explained frantically as he pointed to the otherwise composed girl. His father looked over at the direction he was pointing, but only bewilderment mixed with impatience remained stuck on his face.

“Look, I’m not sure what you’re yammering about, but I gotta leave now. If I hear ONE complaint about any more racket you’ve made, I swear you’re gonna get it.”

Before Suzaku could protest further, his father slammed the door shut. The banging of the door was the last thing to be heard within his room, while the young man tried to come to grips with what just happened. His otherwise stoic guest decided to be the first to speak up.

“That should be proof that this isn’t fake,” she declared, rising from her kneeling position and looking over her ‘master’. It just occurred to him that this girl was rather tiny compared to his height.“I am truly your Idol.”

“What is _that_ suppose to mean anyway!?” Suzaku asked in exasperation. “Just who are you!? Why didn’t my dad see you!?”

“Only those who possess an Idol can see me,” she answered. The next thing that happened made Suzaku’s eyes bulge out in disbelief. The girl started to rise from the ground, her feet hovering a bit in the air as she outstretched her arms. “I will say it again: My name is Yuka. With my abilities, I swear I’ll hold steadfast in ensuring my duty to you will be--”

A loud scream cut her off, confusion once again obstructing her composure. She could only stare at Suzaku as he continued to yell in horror, a trembling finger pointing at her. Everything was starting to come together: the weird costume, his father not seeing her, and now the floating. It could only mean one thing:

“G-G-GHOST!”

“Huh?”

In his panic, Suzaku backed away from her and put himself against the wall as he stared in fright at the sight before him. Nyako only watched with curiosity as the spectacle unfolded, but his owner didn’t share the same sense of wonder. Suzaku heard ghost stories from his classmates and on TV, but he never thought they were _real_.

“I’VE BEEN CURSED!” He continued to cry out as the girl just watched him in disbelief. “Who was it!? I didn’t do anything, I swear!”

“C-can you please listen to me?” Yuka requested, her tone perplexed. “I’m not a ghost! I’m a spirit manifested to aid you!”

“WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE!? OH GOD DON’T EAT ME!”

“I’m not going to eat you!” Yuka protested, but before she could explain further Suzaku scrambled to his feet and quickly went to his bed to grab Nyako.

“Come on Nyako, let's get out of here!”

Suzaku attempted to make a mad dash out of his room, hoping to run away from this accursed spirit. However, he couldn’t make it out the door before he ended up tripping back to the ground with a loud thud, his cat landing gracefully on its paws.

“Master!” Yuka got back on her feet and rushed over to ensure his safety, but as he recovered from the fall, his body recoiled from her approach. As if sensing that he couldn’t fight fate, Suzaku got on his knees again and swiftly bowed his head to the floor.

“Please... If you’re gonna drag me to the afterlife, at least spare Nyako,” he begged as his body trembled. “He doesn’t deserve to die, too. It’s not his time!”

“For the last time!” Yuka yelled pleadingly. “I’m not a ghost, and I’m not going to harm you! I am _your_ Idol! I am suppose to protect you! You and I are one after all. I swear to you that nothing but unconditional loyalty will come out of me.”

He lifted his head a little off the floor, slightly averting his gaze from her. “Y-you mean it? You’re not going to eat me?”

“Y-yeah... I won’t....” she trailed off, slightly baffled by the strange ideas running in his head.

With a heavy sigh of relief, Suzaku got up and sat down. The reality of this girl still spooked him, but at least they weren’t gonna send him packing to hell. Ghost or spirit or whatever, having a girl in his room felt....

That thought was put on hold on when he glanced over at his clock, and with it a new sense of dread entered his mind. “Oh shit, I need to go to school!”

He tugged at his shirt, ready to take it off and change, but after realizing the girl was still in his room, Suzaku abruptly stopped as he let out a small squeak.

“H-hey, do you think you can uh... Leave my room? I gotta change for school.”

 

* * *

 

People always bragged about their own experiences, almost like trying to one up one another. Some boasted about intense studying for exams, or beating a video game the fastest. Many were dying to share something, even stories many would have trouble believing. At best it would be brushed off as an exaggeration, or a wild dream. Yet few could find the truth to what was being said.

For Suzaku, today's story wasn’t something he was dying to share. After the whole incident in his room, he found it surprising that he hadn’t been forced to rush to school. True, he didn’t have time to get breakfast or his morning exercises in, but that served as the least of his problems. Once he got ready, Suzaku found the girl waiting for him by the door, except she looked... different.

Instead of the Chinese looking dress she had on, her clothing looked pretty casual, all things considered. A red checkered shirt, worn over a white shirt and a blue skirt. She might have been some ordinary girl, if not for the whole floating thing earlier.

“Are you ready to leave?” Yuka asked as she planted her hand on the doorknob.

“Y-yeah for sure....” Suzaku choked out. Even with Nyako nestled in his sash for moral support, the burning young man felt small in the presence of girls. If she could tell, he had no idea. But it did nothing to curb her enthusiasm.

“Osu! Then let’s go!”

 _“Osu_?” Suzaku paid it no mind and walked out the door.

As the two traveled out on the street, the journey to school never felt so tense than at that moment. True, she wasn’t going to actively harm him, but Suzaku couldn’t shake off the jitters as Yuka walked a few feet behind, her eyes keeping a vigilant watch over him. While this was meant to ensure his safety, it only reinforced the anxiousness in his gut.

On occasion he'd turn his head, checking to see what his mysterious spirit was up to. For the most part, she kept her eyes fixed onto him. But every so often he'd find her looking intently elsewhere. All the ordinary things, like cars, people, even the blue sky above; Suzaku couldn't help but notice that she looked at them with a sense of fascination. No way she hadn't seen these things before, had she? In some ways, it was kinda... cute. But that unexpected quality hardly ridded him of his discomfort. Her curiosity didn't wander for too long, and eventually she’d go back to staring at Suzaku again, which made him quickly turn his head back straight ahead.

She didn’t say anything to him ever since they left, and in turn Suzaku didn’t utter a word at all. Yet, even if she unsettled him, keeping too quiet did little to help either. It almost felt like playing with dynamite.

“S-so you changed clothes, huh?” He sputtered. “How did you get ‘em, or something.”

“Ah, well,” Yuka began, not at all nervous herself. In fact, the stoicness she showed off before replaced itself with eagerness as she started explaining. “Right now this form is meant to conserve our energy. If I were to stay in my true, Awakened form, it would eventually be a strain on both of us.”

“Right....” Suzaku nodded. This whole thing didn’t make much sense to him, but no use in pressing for more info. Too complicated. He stared down at Nyako, hoping his little buddy would help give him courage. “So, um, where are you from anyway. Like, how did you get here?”

“Like I said, you scouted me.”

“What does that even mean? Sounds troublesome.”

Yuka tapped a finger against her chin, trying to find the words to explain it herself. “Well... I don’t really know the process itself. I only know what it’s called. But once you did, I fully came into existence in this world.” She tightened her hands into fists, raising them up to her chest as an earnest smile spread over her face. “Even if I have a lot to learn, I hope I can do my best as your Idol!”

Suzaku could only continue to nod along to the vague and confusing explanations she gave him. Still, what she implied sent a chill down his spine. No way _he_ had anything to do with her coming to his house. As they kept walking, new ideas asserted themselves in his jumbled mind. Drunk people had a habit of doing all sorts of thing when they're drunk, right? He might not have been drinking, but maybe the pancakes really _did_ have something inside them. It wasn't a stretch to say that in his pancake stupor, he stumbled upon books with wacko rituals -- how the hell could he even read that stuff anyway!?

But if what she had been telling him was true....

The next thought didn't have time to come through. Instead, his face found itself planted smack dab against a pole, his body recoiling from the impact and landing down on his bottom.

“Uwah! M-master!” Yuka yelped in alarm as she rushed over to assist. “Are you okay!?” Suzaku rubbed his forehead and bottom simultaneously, not noticing the otherworldly girl bending down and lending a hand. As soon as he did though, his face turned a deeper shade of red.

“Gah!” Ignoring his pain, he declined her helping hand and quickly brought himself back to his feet. Not like he had an allergic reaction to touching girls, but he might as well. Talking to them proved hard as it is. “I’m fine, I'm fine!”

“Oh my~ Suzaku-kun?”

In contrast to the chaotic screams, a soft, airy voice made itself known. Suzaku ceased his yelling, looking to his right and spotting a familiar face.

“Whoa, Sora-san,” he gasped. The man in question had a couple boxes in hand, a curious look reflected in his red eyes. “Didn't expect to see you here.”

“Well... I do work here after all. Fufu...” He gestured toward the general store to his left.

Suzaku rubbed his head in slight embarrassment. “Oh yeah, that's right....”

Sora Kitamura wasn't exactly a friend, per say. Suzaku usually encountered the college student in the morning during his early shifts. But each time, their brief encounters always imparted Suzaku with some kind of enlightened sounding poetry. Even the guy's hair -- white while it's tips were dipped in black -- resembled an ink brush, ready to dish out some earthly verses. Yeah, he'd forget about everything he said shortly after, but this guy had some wits for sure.

“You seemed a little distracted when you bumped into that pole. Is everything alright...?”

“Ahhh yeah, it's good,” Suzaku answered, his eyes occasionally glancing over to Yuka. “I-I gotta get going to school ya know.”

“Mm,” Sora nodded. “You should be more careful though.... At least you have someone watching your back~”

“I guess, but--” Suzaku paused. True, he never considered himself to have a big brain, but something within it started to click. “H-hold it! You mean, you mean you can see this girl!?”

The college student tilted his head in dismay. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Her!” He pointed over at the girl in question, but Sora stood silently for a good moment, his face highly bemused by Suzaku’s frantic actions. “You were talking about her, right?”

“Oh... I was talking about your cat,” he answered, pointing at Nyako within his owner’s sash. “He keeps watch over you, doesn't he?”

The red headed man couldn't find any words to respond with as Yuka only sighed. “I told you already. Normal humans can't see me.”

Yeah, he knew that, but the fact that it was even true didn't mean it was easy to accept. Shaking his head, Suzaku slowly started walking away, not wanting to weird things out with Sora any longer. “I’ll uh, be goin’ now.”

“See ya~” Sora called out happily.

As Suzaku walked further away, he tried his hardest to keep himself in check. First his own dad, now Sora too. Trying to point out something others can't see would send him straight to the funny house if he didn’t act careful. He kept his eyes straight on the road, continuing to escape the gaze Yuka had on him. Before Suzaku disappeared from sight, Sora watched him before heading back inside to work.

“What an interesting guy....”

 

* * *

 

Arriving at S.E.M Academy felt like one giant blessing for once. This freakish school, with its weirdo teachers and students, made Suzaku question more than once how he landed himself in there to begin with. Yet right now, he could say in all seriousness that he'd rather be here than anywhere else.

Even the annoying things, like that Saejima girl chastising him at the front gate, or navigating the crowded hallway, provided Suzaku with some comfort of normalcy. That no matter if a ghost haunted him, the cycle of his school life went uninterrupted. As much as he'd like to pretend today was like any other, the fact remained that Yuka existed, continuously trailing him, even as she observed all the other students walking about.

Sliding open the door, Suzaku stepped into his classroom and headed straight to his seat. A few of his other classmates mingled with one another until their teacher arrived. All things considered, he felt amazed that he still managed to get here on time. Taking his seat in the back of the room, a slight chill encapsulated his body as Yuka stood directly next to him.

“So this is the place you study in?” She asked as Suzaku kept his stare locked on the chalkboard. As he did, Yuka’s eyes scanned over the small room, observing her surroundings with the same wonderment she had before.

“Well, yeah,” he mumbled carefully. He always found himself alone in class, so if someone spotted him talking to nothing, they'd really think he'd lost it. “Hey, uh, do you think you could um, keep some distance?”

“What do you mean?” She asked, her face set into a frown. “If I'm not close enough, how am I supposed to protect you from an attack?”

 _“S-someone is gonna attack me?”_ He thought before attempting once more to have her move back. “Look, it's makin’ me uncomfortable, so please--”

“ ** _Good morning, everyone_** _!”_

Words in English bellowed in the classroom as a man with blonde hair walked in, a big smile on his face as all the students -- including Suzaku -- immediately stopped what they were doing and focused on him. A lot of the teachers in the school had their own unique characteristics, but Rui Maita had a knack for taking his teaching to the next level. After everyone greeted him, Maita beamed over his class.

“ ** _Alright_**! Let's take roll, shall we? **_Mr_** _._ Akai?”

“Here!” He raised his hand swiftly.

“Perfect! **_Ms_** _._ Kitami?”

As the roll call proceeded from there, Suzaku gave up any chances of convincing Yuka to move. His best hope now lied in the one thing he actually performed poorly in: trying to understand today’s lesson. As jumbled as it seemed (coupled with Maita’s freaky enthusiasm), Suzaku began to summon every ounce of strength to focus on it, rather than the otherwise invisible girl presiding over him.

“ ** _OK_** _!”_ Maita exclaimed as he finished roll. “ ** _Ms_** _._ Nanao is still feeling ill, but the rest of you are all here today! **_Let's get started_**!”

Suzaku’s homeroom might have been more exciting than others, but the usual lesson felt like strange gibberish. The teacher lectured about different things about the English language. Not just words, but rules or something to it that hopelessly escaped his grasp. While he didn't comprehend a thing being said, Suzaku kept his face buried in his text book. Okay, it looked a little ridiculous since pretty much all of his classmates knew that he couldn't read difficult English phrases, but he’d rather keep up the act.

Still, that hardly provide much solace. It didn’t bother him as much when they were walking several feet apart, but being so close now put a hefty weight over him. Even if he didn't look back at her, it didn't change a thing. As time passed, Suzaku could feel the tense pressure dig deeper into his back. It only built and built, swelling within him, increasing until--

“Sensei!”

Maita paused from writing on the board, turning around to find Suzaku had risen from his seat, his face looking somewhat tense.

“I-I gotta go use the restroom.”

“ ** _Go ahead_**!” His teacher signaled with a thumbs up. “If you gotta go, you **_gotta go_**!” Suzaku endured the giggles barely contained by some of his classmates, and wasted no time in darting out the door, Yuka immediately following in turn.

With no students or teachers in the hallway, Suzaku felt himself more at ease, inspite of that girl still tagging along from behind. He made a steady pace further from the class, the sound of Yuka’s footsteps a constant reminder of her presence.

“Are you alright?” She asked with a trace of worry. “You don’t look so good.”

Suzaku did not respond, continuing to tread along the halls.

“Master? Did you hear me? Master--”

Abruptly, Suzaku stopped in his tracks. “Aw geez!” Perhaps for the first time since they left the house, he willed himself to turn around and look her straight in the eye. Nyako, who had hid himself since they entered school, peeked his head out from the sash, curious about the commotion.

“Look, can you not stand so close to me!? I get it, you’re supposed to haunt me and all, but couldn’t you give me some space!? It’s freakin’ me out!”

Yuka, taken aback from the outburst, saw his face bordering on desperation. In turn, she couldn’t help but frown.

“I’m sorry...” A hint of shame was present in her voice. “I wanted to keep you closely guarded, but I didn’t realize it made you so uncomfortable.”

 _Oh shit._ Seeing how apologetic Yuka acted, Suzaku pondered if he just screwed things up big time.

“H-hey it’s fine, don’t worry about it,” he tried to say. Although he wouldn’t call himself the go-to person to effectively provide reassurance. He took in a deep breath, leaning back against the wall. Trying to shift the subject, Suzaku prepared a question. One that now more than ever was a good opportunity to ask.

“Okay, look... I need you to be straight with me. You said I ‘scouted’ you,” he said, making air quotes with his fingers for emphasis. “And I don't care _how_ this scouting thing works. I just gotta know _why_ I did it. Was it really the pancakes?”

The last question was odd enough to snap Yuka out of her gloom. “Pancakes? No, no. I became your Idol because you needed me.”

“I... needed you?”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “You were able to scout me specifically, because there’s something that you wanted to achieve, right? A dream that you needed my help to fulfill?”

A dream he wanted to fulfill? He couldn’t think of anything immediate that would require the presence of a spirit girl following him around. It would be convenient to just dismiss this all as dream itself. Although at this point, he didn’t have any reason to believe he wasn’t wide awake.

“I dunno what kind of goal I really desire right now,” Suzaku began dismissively, pushing himself from the wall and starting to walk again. The restroom resided just ahead. “Just stay here, I’ll be back.”

He didn’t need to look back to see Yuka give her acknowledgment. Inside the equally empty bathroom, a new feeling started to overtake him. Not the dread of a supernatural being following him, or the rumbling of a stomach ache. Sitting within the confined toilet stall, Suzaku muttered to himself.

“Dream, huh...?”

 

* * *

 

Once Suzaku (with Yuka of course) returned to the classroom things felt... different. No longer was he preoccupied with her presence. The feeling inside him had his attention now, like a question on an exam he had no hope of answering. He flunked a lot of those, but this time, he actually cared to find the answer. Enough that it distracted him from the rest of today’s lesson. The minutes burned slower than usual as he waited for class to finish, equally as agonizing as the words Yuka told him before. He wished he could just ask her right there for more details, if it weren't for the obvious issues of hesitation and other people getting in the way. His only real hope came when the bell finally rang, beginning the ultimate pastime of his high school hours: lunch time.

With a bag of assorted food in hand, Suzaku and Yuka exited the school building and back into the bright daylight. His favorite spot wasn’t some kind of cool hideout -- just a bench positioned along campus. Nothing secretive about it, but as far as Suzaku could remember, no one ever hung around there at lunch. And as he saw up ahead, shaded by the presence of a tall tree, that still demonstrated to be true.

Setting down his food, the delinquent teen plopped down onto the bench and slouched in relaxation. After resting for so long, Nyako emerged from the sash, flexing his little body. Suzaku rummaged through the bag, taking out a package of melon bread that didn’t remain wrapped up for long. Without hesitation he wolfed down his food, a second melon bread ready to replace it. He hummed in satisfaction at the taste. The lack of breakfast sure made his lunch all the more savory. Amid his feast, he suddenly became aware that Yuka had taken a seat at the opposite end of the bench, watching him dig into his meal.

“Hnrk!” He almost choked as he noticed, and not long after Suzaku took a heavy gulp of the food still in his mouth.

“Master, are you really that hungry?” Yuka inquired scoldingly as he attempted to force it all down through his gullet. “You should slow down with your food.”

“Well yeah, but I'm starving, okay? Can't help it,” he answered before taking another bite of bread. Albeit slowly this time. Trying to put some distance from his eating habits, he rummaged through the bag for another melon bread, presenting it to her as he glanced slightly away.

“Y-you want some?”

“No thank you,” she declined. “I don't require any sustenance from food. I'm actually dependant on your energy, so as long as you supply me through our link, I should be fine. But, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness!”

“N-no sweat....” he replied. "Makes sense I guess _."_ Still, the idea of not needing to eat admittedly threw him off. He'd never dealt with hunger, but one couldn't deny the pleasures of a good meal. Stranger yet was the whole ‘energy’ thing, but getting into that only made his head hurt. Not dwelling on it for long, he cleared his throat, free to ask the question dwelling in his mind.

“Oh, that’s right! You said I had something that you would help me achieve. Do you have any idea what that would be?”

“I actually don't know,” Yuka shook her head. “When I was brought here, I didn’t have much prior knowledge of many things. All I know is who I am, and what my own power and limits are. I'm here to help and protect you, but as for what that purpose is, only you would know. Isn't there a desire you’re yearning to accomplish?”

Thinking deeply never proved to be Suzaku’s strong suit, especially when it came to his own life. Everyone in school liked to talk about what they wanted to accomplish. Becoming filthy rich, being a famous actor or singer, someone had something they went after with all their heart. For a simple man like Suzaku, big ambitions weren't seen on the horizon. But if he didn't have anything, why was Yuka there?

“Ain’t good,” he said in clear defeat. “Can’t think of anything big I really want right now.”

“Nothing?” Yuka pressed a little further, quite puzzled by the lack of a clear answer. “No lifelong goals? Anything that drives you to wake up each day and push on ahead?”

“Now ya see, I don't really got plans after I'm done with school,” he admitted casually. “Besides I'm pretty lousy at studying, so-- wait!”

“What is it?”

“Since you're like a spirit, you gotta have powers or something, right? Maybe... maybe you're here to help me with school? Maybe you can make me smart?”

The question didn’t help Yuka’s perplexity. Quite the opposite. “Sorry, but I don’t have that kind of ability....”

“Shoot. Well, guess it's not a huge loss.” Suzaku dismissed. One idea he could scratch off his list. If it didn’t have to do with learning, what else could it be? Unless....

“OH!” He shouted in realization. “Can you, uh, make pancakes out of thin air?”

“Eh!?” Yuka yelped suddenly. Academics were one thing, but pancakes? “Absolutely not.”

“Wow, I was certain it would be that.” If the pancakes weren’t it, then he was completely stumped. “Ok, so, what can you do then?”

“Martial arts!” She puffed out her chest confidently, baring her knuckles in determination. “If we were to do battle with an opponent, I’m more than able to pull my weight and overcome any hurdle in front of me with a clear heart and mind! No one will harm you unless they can get past me!”

Immediately she shot her fist straight at Suzaku, stopping just before making contact with his face. He jerked his head back, gritting his teeth and froze his entire body. Just as quickly, Yuka withdrew her fist, and put it meekly on her lap.

“Sorry....” She looked down in slight embarrassment. “I messed up again. I can get really fired up if I’m not careful.”

“N-no! It’s cool! I respect that! That’s seriously awesome!”

Yuka perked up, catching an expression that wasn’t fear or nervousness on Suzaku’s face. For the first time since she manifested, the Idol saw the burning look of excitement on her master’s face.

“It totally fires me up too!” He continued, his fervor unabated. “Its great you got some serious passion! One of the things I truly admire! For real!”

Just like a flame in the wind, Suzaku’s excitement was extinguished upon seeing Yuka stare at him in astonishment, soon shifting her gaze back to her lap. “H-hey, Yuka?”

A small smile formed on the corners of her lips, and Suzaku wondered for a second if it was because of something he did just now. The young man always had problems reading what others were thinking. " _Oh crap, did I just say something stupid?"_ He thought, nervousness growing in his chest. " _Is she gonna laugh at me?"_

“I'm relieved.”

“Huh?”

“Earlier you were so tense and nervous around me. You were even scared when I first showed up. It hadn’t been a long time since I came here, but I started to think....” She spoke softly, fidgeting a bit before proceeding to lift her head up towards Suzaku, that smile on her face growing warmer. “But seeing you like this now, it really puts me at ease.”

Suzaku crossed his arms gruffly, trying to hide the fact that his heart was racing right now. “A-ah.... Okay, I know I was all awkward,” he admitted. Like his food earlier, he did his best to try not choking on his words. “And I got scared by the whole floating thing and I just suck at talking to girls, got it!? It just came at me so fast.... And, uh, I well.....”

As his words trailed off, he glanced down to find Nyako climbing over his lap, walking down between him and Yuka. His slitted eyes looked up, studying her curiously. A brief moment passed before the girl’s hand reached towards them. Cautious at first, delicate fingers brushed over his capped head, causing him to purr in satisfaction.

“He's really cute,” the Idol giggled as Suzaku watched in newfound amazement.

“Woah, he can see you!?” He leaned down to his cat abruptly. “Nyako, why didn’t you tell me!?”

Nyako just stared at his owner blankly, but Yuka was ready to offer an answer herself. “Regular humans might not perceive me, but animals might not have the same problem.” She said as she brought her arm away from the cat.

“Huh.... He likes you, ya know,” Suzaku added. His hand gripped the edges of the bench, bracing himself for what he had to say next. “If he can trust you too, then... this whole _Idol_ thing... won’t be so bad.”

Yuka’s mouth gaped open in astonishment. “You mean it?”

“Hell yeah, I mean it.” He reaffirmed more confidently. If the Suzaku from several hours ago heard him, he’d think he were nuts. Making friends with an otherworldly being sounded like the plot of some anime. Completely out of the norm... but what kind of asshole would he be to reject people for being different? Plus she was so nice too. No way could his pride allow him to do something so mean.

From those words, Yuka’s face lit up with nothing but joy. “Thank you, Master! I'm still inexperienced at being an Idol... and my own eagerness might get in the way. But I swear, I'm going to get better! Whatever obstacles we face, I will do my best to take them on! In order to help you with your own dreams! Osu!”

“Yeah, yeah!” Suzaku spurred on her determination. “Oh! You can fight, right? Maybe you can be my sparring partner? I don't know kung-fu but I can pack a punch too! I always wanted someone to train with that wasn't my dad. Man, this is gonna be amazing!”

“Mhm! Through training with one another, we'll become the strongest there is!”

Any lingering hesitation within the burning young man had since been vanquished. Now he definitely knew that he hadn’t received a curse, but a gift in the form of a new friend. He never really had female friends before, so it might take some getting used to. Even so, he felt ready to give it a go.

The sincere moment between the two was interrupted by a meow from Nyako. Both of them looked down as he pressed his paw on Suzaku’s thigh repeatedly. Yuka attempted to study the strange action, but Suzaku immediately knew what they wanted.

“Oh crap!” He blurted out. Quickly he picked up Nyako and stood up from the bench. “We gotta go!”

“Hold on!” The Idol got up and followed after him, running to a destination unknown. “Where are we going!?”

Suzaku glanced behind him, his face filled with urgency. “Nyako has to pee!”

 

* * *

 

An obvious rule around S.E.M Academy: no pets allowed. Didn't stop Suzaku from bringing Nyako with him everyday though. He just had to be a little more discrete about it, that's all. Luckily over the years, the rowdy delinquent discovered ways to tend to Nyako’s needs.

A short sprint later, the duo arrived at a mid-sized utility shed, sitting in its secluded glory behind the school building. Suzaku’s eyes darted around, keeping watch over anyone who could spot them. The coast clear, they snuck behind the shed, Suzaku putting Nyako down before moving away to the other side. Gotta give a cat his privacy.

“Do you... always take him here to relieve himself?” Yuka wondered perplexingly as they waited.

“Why not?” Suzaku shrugged. “It's like his favorite spot. Can't do it anywhere else.”

The Idol chose not to object over the reason given. Instead, she examined the wall curiously. “For a place that’s out of the way, they really put in effort to make the wall look nice. Even if the art is a little... strange.”

“What?” He tilted his head. “There’s nothing fancy about the-”

Suzaku stopped as he turned to look at the wall, a surreal sight gracing his eyes. Unlike the usual faded cream color he’d been so used to seeing, it had been painted over with something completely different. Bizarre, multi-colored shapes and figures formed an exotic mural that spanned the entire length of the wall.

“When the hell did this get here?”

“You mean this wasn’t here before?” Yuka asked as she scanned over a section of the mural: a weird caricature lifting its hands in the air, as if holding up the bright yellow sky.

“I mean, the art club might’ve done it,” Suzaku suggested, heavily scrutinizing the balloons dotting green and purple landscape. “Kinda dumb to paint this back here though.”

A soft meow signaled Nyako’s return from his bathroom break, heading towards his owner from behind the shed. The dumbstruck teen picked up the small cat and secured him in his sash, staring at the mural a bit more until his curiosity was satisfied. For a time, he always wanted to see funky artwork at some museum. Guess he didn’t need to make a trip after all.

“We should head back now,” he began, turning away from the odd artwork. “Lunch is gonna end--”

No sooner as he spoke, a crash from inside the shed stole his attention. Yuka readied herself while Suzaku stood stiffly. From what he knew, no one hung around the utility shed during breaks. Being inside it was almost impossible to begin with unless they had a key. Summoning courage, Suzaku walked towards the shed door, his eyes noticing the lack of a lock.

“Oh this is bad...” He whispered to himself. Every instinct told him to leave, to head back to class and pretend he noticed nothing unusual at all. It wasn’t his business; he had absolutely nothing to lose. But against the comfort of walking away, his pride once more reasserted itself. No matter what and no matter where, he had to confront any bad guys looking for trouble!

This time, even with Nyako at his side, he had someone who could have his back.

He signaled to Yuka his intentions, who gave a silent nod in response. With a fiery howl, Suzaku busted the doors open. “HEY! JUST WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”

The bombastic entrance gave way to a blink. Inside, piles of boxes and other cluttered equipment were present, but no sign of a culprit. Confused, the two scanned over everything. The only conspicuous looking thing was a box that had fallen on its side from one of the piles, several books spilt across the floor.

“Just what is this?” Suzaku questioned. He had lousy deduction skills, but unless another ghost was lurking around, no way could this box topple over on it’s own. Taking a step inside, he knelt down to examine some of the books. A lot of western titles he had no hope of understanding. Did someone try to steal one of these? Where did that person go?

The mystery of the culprit, as it stood, wouldn’t remain for long. Nyako climbed out of the sash, surprising Suzaku as he scurried to another pile of boxes in the corner of the shed. Before he had a chance to call him back, the cat fit his tiny body through a space between the wall and the boxes. A meow emerged from behind, preceded by a loud scream.

Or screams.

The boxes started falling over to the ground, along with two girls who were originally hidden. They all crashed with a heavy thud, Nyako jumping over one of their bodies and back to Suzaku’s shoulder. He and Yuka could only stare in disbelief as the two figures collected themselves from the mess, getting back on their feet haphazardly.

“ _Oh great, more girls_ ,” Suzaku thought anxiously to himself. He was comfortable speaking to Yuka, but he couldn't be thrusted into talking to _more_ of them. A man had to take things slow! Shaking his head, the delinquent tried to downplay his worries and focus on the bigger picture.

“So you actually caught us,” said one of the culprits. She had short brown hair and a blue and pink varsity jacket, and as she rubbed at her shoulder, she gave the two a contemptuous glare. She soon shifted her gaze to her companion, another girl with much longer, thicker hair in two bows, a pair of yellow headphones around her neck. “Roco, if you didn’t have to paint on that wall, we could have gotten out of here faster!”

“Hmph,” the aforementioned girl huffed while she fixed herself. “Subaru, Roco can’t ignore it when Roco is in a **_creative_** _mood_! That **_wall_** was begging to be **_Roconized_**!”

While the two argued, Suzaku couldn’t help but notice the amount of English words sprinkled in her speech. “ _She related to Maita-sensei or what?”_ He wondered to himself. “H-hold it, you’re the one who painted that lame painting out there?”

The one named Roco shot him a heavily insulted look. “How dare you call Roco’s art lame!”

“Anyway,” Subaru cut in, an aura of hostility could be felt in her stare. “Now that you two found us, don’t think we’ll give in that easily.”

Discovering that her presence didn't go unnoticed, Yuka pointed to herself in disbelief. “Wait, you mean me, too?”

“Who else would I be--”

“WOAH!” A loud shout erupted from Suzaku, effectively cutting her off. His eyes were wide with shock over the new turn of events. “You mean you can actually see her!? Seriously!?”

“You’re dealing with an Idolmaster too, you know,” Subaru proclaimed, her confidence unwavering in spite of the loud commotion.

“Master, be careful,” Yuka cautioned, taking on a fighting stance. “If she can see me, then that other girl with her is an Idol. Who knows what she’s capable--”

“WHAT? Y-you mean she's a ghost too?” Suzaku yelled as he pointed frantically at Roco. “What the hell is going on today!?”

“Roco isn't a **_ghost_**!” Roco pouted at his reaction.

“I don’t know what a **_ghost_** is, but damn!” He accepted Yuka’s otherworldly existence, but no one could ever prepare him for _more_ supernatural weirdos. Was he actually on a prank show, but God was the one filming all this while angels up above were laughing at his antics? Given how things were going, he was ready to believe anything.

“Enough!” Subaru barked angrily over the constant interruptions. “So like I was gonna say, where are they? The girl and that book. I know you’ve been sheltering her here for awhile now.”

Everything she just said flew over Suzaku’s head. Who was she talking about now? And what book? “Hey, I don’t have a clue about any of this. But no matter who you are, stealing books is wrong! If you wanna read something so badly, we have a library, damn it!”

The short haired girl gritted her teeth in annoyance. “You can stop playing stupid. We wanted to do this quietly, but if you don’t tell us, we’re totally ready to tear down the whole school to find out.”

Suzaku looked on at the two girls in front of him. Nothing they were saying made any sense. Yet he could feel it; they had no intention of messing around. “Whatever you’re trying to pull,” he began, his confusion replaced with a more serious demeanor. “Don’t think we won’t try to stop you!”

“So we’re doing this the hard way,” Subaru sighed. She motioned to the Idol behind her, who ended up flashing a toothy grin in response.

“I'll show you what Roco is made of.”

From that moment, a brief light washed over her body, her once normal, baggy attire becoming something completely different. Once it faded, Roco was clad in a bright, pink dress. Red ribbons, white polka dots and multi-colored frills adorned its surface, a small pink top hat sat on her head to complete the strange costume. Between her out stretched fingers, a thin brush sparked into existence.

“What shall I **_paint_** today, Subaru?” She said as she whimsically twirled the brush.

“Bat,” was Subaru's only answer.

Roco point her brush, drawing an outline in the air as if it were a canvas. Her strokes were given physical form as she drew, the lines coming together to create something more concrete. A thicker brush formed in her other hand, adding color to the newly finished art piece: a multi-colored, wooden baseball bat. The two dimensional image began to morph, it’s whole structure expanding and filling out, becoming three dimensional as Subaru grabbed it in her hand. She examined it for a moment, frowning at the unconventional color palette.

“D-did you really have to paint it like this...?”

“That is a one-of-a-kind **_Roco-bat_**!” She exclaimed proudly. “An ordinary one doesn’t have that level of **_flair_**!”

Subaru grunted. “Well I guess it doesn’t matter either way.”

At this time, Suzaku and Yuka (especially Suzaku) were completely mesmerized by the whole process they witnessed. For a moment, he watched his newly met opponent point her bat at them menacingly, then within a second, she sprung her body forward, both hands now gripping the bat and ready to swing it at his face. His mind hardly registered her coming, and even as he attempted to move out of the way, it was too late for him to dodge.

“Master!”

Unlike the expected outcome, the bat didn’t touch an inch of Suzaku’s face. The dumbstruck man widened his eyes in amazement as a hand -- Yuka’s hand -- caught the bat. Subaru shared Suzaku’s shock, attempting to nudge the bat away from her tight grip, but to no avail. The same light that enveloped Roco earlier spread over Yuka, her own outfit changing to the same dress she first showed up in. She directed her own glare straight at Subaru, and within her grip, the bat splintered into pieces. Roco could only watch, mortified at how her creation became easily broken.

“My **_Roco-bat_**!”

“A-amazing....” Suzaku breathed out in awe.

Subaru’s eyes widened in shock, the destruction of her weapon immobilizing her long enough for Yuka to deliver a kick to her stomach. The opposing Idol user got knocked back straight into Roco as the latter caught her in her arms.

“Don’t think you can beat us so easily,” Yuka boldly declared, readying her fists once more. “I restrained myself with that kick, but I might not hold back next time. If you stand down now, no one needs to receive any more harm.”

“Y-yeah!” Suzaku added in hastily. “You should call it quits right now and turn yourselves in!”

Subaru staggered back onto her feet. For a ‘restrained kick’, it felt more like a truck just rammed into her. Trying her best to ignore the pain, she scowled defiantly at the duo. “We’re not gonna give up yet. Roco!”

With many quick strokes, the artistic Idol conjured up a new shape. It was hard to figure out what they had just created: a long, thick tube looking thing, hastily painted a myriad of different shades of green. But once it finished forming, Subaru hefted the bulky object in question, aiming it directly at them.

“Wait! Is that a rocket launcher!?” Suzaku protested. “Are you crazy!? No way are you gonna fire that in here, you’ll get us all killed!”

“Hehehe,” Roco giggled. “This isn’t just any **_ordinary_** rocket launcher. But Roco’s **_Super Roco Launcher!_** Filled with **_special_** **_Roco-rockets_**! It won’t harm us, but it’ll seriously harm you.”

“Trying catching this,” Subaru taunted, ready to pull the trigger.

Without any hesitation, Suzaku and Yuka dashed out of the shed, just before a bright yellow projectile shot out of the launcher directly at them. Yuka grabbed Suzaku’s body in haste and both of them dived down to the ground as Nyako hung on to his owner’s shoulder. Glancing up, they saw the rocket streak past their heads and continue straight ahead until it impacted a tree, producing a small explosion.

“Holy...” Suzaku said in dread. “We gotta go!”

Picking themselves up, Suzaku broke into a sprint while his Idol hovered next to him. He looked back to see Subaru and her own Idol began to follow in pursuit, preparing to fire another round of that rocket launcher.

“Can you do something like that!?” Suzaku asked as they ran away.

“My ability is different from hers!” Yuka replied in the negative. Their movements zigzagged as one rocket after another attempted to land a hit, the explosions boomed in their ears as each one hit the ground and kicked up clouds of dust. “I can’t fight like this! We have to stop running and face them head on!”

“And get our asses blown up!? No thanks!” While a good reason as ever, another one had struck his mind as they continued being chased. By now lunch was over, which meant the students should be back in class (who cared if the teacher would scold him for ditching, he was being attacked over here!). Among his weaknesses, he never excelled at being brainy in a fight. But even he wasn’t dumb enough to not realize that any of those explosions could hit the school on accident. They needed to get away. Far away so no one would get hurt. This was his fight, not theirs.

The pair found themselves further from the shed area, the ground becoming the expansive green grass of S.E.M’s soccer field. He used to despise how far away it was from the actual school building, but the distance finally had its uses. Suzaku heaved as his legs grew tired, but he pressed on as they reached the center of the field. So far the volley of rockets seemed to cease, giving him the opportunity to finally stop running.

“Master, why are we stopping?” Yuka questioned as Suzaku caught his breath.

“Here!” He pointed his hand over the entire field. “We’ll take em’ on right here! Ain’t no one around, so we can fight hard as hell without anyone getting in the way!”

Upon realizing his intentions, the short Idol gave a quick nod of approval. “Got it! I’ll make sure to do quick work in defeating them!”

With that, the two waited for their pursuers, peering all over the field to see where they would be coming from. Campus didn’t have many paths to the soccer field, or paths that could possibly give their opponents the jump on them. That didn't make the fight any easier, however.

“So if artsy girl is like you, know any way of defeating them?” Suzaku wondered. He played enough video games to know that fists vs. rockets didn’t end well.

“It looks like she can create objects with her ability,” she pointed out. “As long as she’s around, she’ll continue providing weapons for her master to use. If we can beat her, the master might be more vulnerable to our attacks.”

Slamming his fists together, the hot-blooded yankee smiled in anticipation. “Sounds simple enough. Just the way I like it. Alright, where are you!?” He called out to his foes.

To his dismay, his challenge went unanswered. They continued to check their surroundings, waiting for a glimpse of the enemy to show up on the horizon, but compared to the unending barrage from earlier, everything remained still. Suzaku felt his body grow tense. Did they give up the chase? The pair stood at the ready while Nyako still sat on the shoulder of his owner, his blue eyes looking up when it noticed a strange sight.

He nudged at Suzaku’s neck, catching his owner’s attention. “What is it, Nyako?”

“Nya!” The cat meowed, pointing his paw up to the air. Following his direction, Suzaku raised his head up. Something above looked out of place. Amongst the bright blue, it seemed like a big balloon was flying in the vast sky. He had to squint to see it clearly, but as the wind seemed to bring it closer, his jaw dropped in sheer disbelief.

It was a big balloon alright... except the thin string was wrapped around the arm of someone all too familiar, a rocket launcher held in her other free arm. Behind her it became apparent that her Idol hovered alongside, gazing smugly from above while her master’s face seemed pale from the height.

By now Yuka also noticed their flying adversaries, equally stunned by this new move. “No way!”

“Wow, that's cheating!” Suzaku shouted accusingly at the airborne Subaru.

“S-shut it!” She snapped back. Her arm trembled as she aimed her launcher to the ground, resuming her thunderous assault.

Frantically Suzaku and his Idol dodged each shot, no hope of taking cover or anywhere else to run for safety. Frustration began to well up inside him, unable to take on a force that seemed so far from his grasp. He felt like a small animal, forced to keep running and running from a much stronger predator.

“Damn it!” He howled in anger. As the dirt flew and explosions bombarded his surroundings, one of the rockets, whether by actual aim or stupid luck, darted into the ground in front of them. The resulting blast knocked Suzaku and Yuka in different directions, Suzaku’s own body sliding over the soft grass.

Everything was spinning, a loud ringing invading his ears as he tried to regain his senses. The blast didn't hit them directly, but the impact of the landing sent a numbing pain throughout his whole body. Lifting his head, he saw Nyako scurrying to him, licking his owner’s cheek to make sure he was okay. A small sense of relief washed over Suzaku; at least his cat wasn't injured, but where was Yuka?

Looking over the field for the ghostly girl, the scenery no longer resembled a calm, peaceful field. Where a sea of grass used to be, several small craters dotted the landscape. Among the carnage, he spotted Yuka a short distance away, getting back on her feet despite the pain she must have felt. That girl had guts, he couldn’t deny it. Just when he tried to get up himself, a pair of shoes touched down gently in front of him.

Looking up, he immediately discovered Subaru towering over his body, grinning in satisfaction at her victory. Roco flanked her, equally basking in the triumphant moment.

“Master!” Yuka called out, ready to come to his aid. But her movements were halted completely when Subaru aimed her launcher down at Suzaku.

“Don’t think about it!” She threatened. “Or I'll blow him literally out of the park.”

Nyako yowled menacingly at the people who put his owner in danger, but it did little to persuade them otherwise.

“You have one more chance to tell me,” Subaru resumed. “Where is she?” Suzaku kept his head up, his anger and frustration still boiling inside him. He still had no idea about what she was yammering about. No chance in hell could he give them what they want even if he gave up. If it came to that... did it mean they’d really tear down the entire school to get what they'd want? The destruction here hardly compared to the mess they'd cause on campus. Amongst the circumstances, a new feeling developed in Suzaku:

Powerlessness.

The hands of despair clutched at his whole body. In the past he’d always take down any bad guys he’d come across -- do the best he could to beat down injustice where it surfaced. But those weren't comparable to the villains that existed in his imagination, the evildoers in TV and comics that had the world one inch away from obliteration. The kind who always seemed unstoppable but were always dealt a crushing defeat by the good guys. These girls before him were like those same villains, just brought out of the pages and into real life. They were here, his world now on the brink of terror. He needed to do something. He needed to--

It was there, at the very moment of darkness, a newfound light started to shine. It wasn't a super power, or the start of some transformation, but a revelation. A lot of people knew Suzaku wasn't smart. Even he knew that himself. Yet he still had the capacity to realize his own foolishness.

With all his might, he pushed himself shakingly from the ground. First onto his knee, then rose back to his feet. Nyako jumped back onto his owner’s shoulder, intent on sticking beside him.

“W-what do you think you're doing!?” Subaru demanded, watching him struggle.

“I won't let you get away,” he declared while clutching his side.

He had it wrong all this time: the dream Yuka asked him about had nothing to do with careers or whatever. It was something different than that. Something that burned in his heart, the spirit that drove him to not turn away from injustice. This dream which he reached out to, yet seemed so distant.

_“That's childish!”_

_“You read too many comics!”_

These words hammered themselves in his head over the years, an impossible barrier to overcome even if he did his best to rid the streets of dirty crooks. But the hope for change seemed fruitless no matter how many he beat up. It seemed to move farther and farther away no matter how hard he chased after it. All signs pointed to him giving up an outrageous dream.

Grimacing through all the pain wracking his body, Suzaku’s defiant stare was blazing. “You think... you can just waltz in and do whatever you want? Guess what? You didn't have a clue that _I_ was here!”

No one said it could be done. They were probably right.

The rash bravado on display made Subaru take a step back. “Just who are you!?”

The world told him that he couldn’t become the hero he aspired to be....

Even so!

“I’m Suzaku Akai! Known as the Explosive Flame Suzaku! I’ll never give up! I'm gonna protect everyone with this fist!” He lifted up his injured hand to demonstrate his iron resolve. “I'll be the hero that burns away true evil!”

“How annoying,” Subaru scoffed, already impatient with his rambling. She fixed her finger on the trigger, about to put this battle to an end. Suzaku looked into the dark void of the barrel. That moment slowed down to a crawl for him as he tried to decide on the next move. Dodging at point blank was stupid to think about, but it wouldn't stop him. In the end it all came down to another impossibility: a miracle to get out of this.

 _“God,”_ Suzaku silently prayed, hoping the big man himself was listening. “ _I'm pretty shitty at life, but please. Just give me a chance. Any chance to turn this around!”_

Most of the time, his prayers went answered. Miracles were probably a tall order, that's why. But when something wet hit his cheek, Suzaku took it as a sign that God gave him some pity.

A spray of water started scattering across the field around them. Subaru and Roco were stunned as it splashed over their bodies, and each glanced everywhere to determine the source. The water shot out in jets from the ground, and they instantly knew what it was.

“The sprinklers!?” Subaru gasped. The spray continued to wash over them and all along her weapon when its paint started to drip from the moisture.

No... not the paint. As Suzaku watched, the whole rocket launcher started _melting_ in Subaru’s hand. Noticing this herself, she hastily attempted to fire it, only for the launcher to completely melt into an oozing pile.

“NO! MY **_MASTERPIECE_**!” Roco clutched her head in horror.

This was it. The chance he was waiting for! Suzaku weakly lunged at Subaru, hoping to land a hit. A part of him felt uncomfortable with the idea of hitting a girl, but in a do-or-die situation like this, he had room to compromise. Roco moved to block Suzaku’s fist, struggling to hold him back despite his weakened state. In a fight like this, they had a two man advantage, meaning Subaru had the window to beat him down.

But it seemed they forgot one thing.

God had been more generous today than Suzaku realized. He didn't receive one miracle. In fact he received two. And with that first miracle, the determined young man knew he wasn't alone.

“Now, Yuka!”

The aforementioned Idol had been watching this whole time, just waiting for the right opportunity to strike. With the light all green, Yuka dashed towards them, her fist aiming straight for the vulnerable Subaru. Roco released Suzaku from her grasp, attempting to shield her own master from the speedy attack. She moved in the way just in time as the impact of Yuka’s fist slammed into the artistic Idol’s face, knocking her body into Subaru and sending them flying several feet away.

“Wooooooooow! That’s too strong!” Suzaku shouted at the display of strength. He looked at his downed opponents, ready to boast their victory. “Heh, looks like your failed art gallery is weak to water! Game over for you guys!”

Subaru and Roco staggered back to their feet, the latter whining as she tried to soothe her swollen cheek. “It hurts...” She whimpered, even as Subaru growled in anger.

“Roco! Can you still make another launcher?”

“Roco is almost at her **_limit_**...” she replied grimly. Still, the determination in her master’s eyes proved to be enough to remove any hesitation. “But Roco can do it! I’ll give you a **_supreme masterpiece!_ ** I’m with you, Subaru!”

The two moved out of the sprinkler trajectory, Roco drawing and painting a small, circle in the air once they got to a dry spot. It took the form of a ball --the size of a baseball-- which Subaru immediately threw to the ground, producing a large smoke screen that obstructed Suzaku and Yuka’s vision.

“Damn, where are they?” Suzaku tried to see through the smoke, unable to find them. He and Yuka prepared themselves, expecting them to bust somewhere through the smog and launch an attack. Soon the wind lifted the dark cloud away from the field, just in time for them to catch Subaru being lifted up in the air once more by a balloon, Roco floating beside her. And just like before, another rocket launcher was held in the Idol user’s hand.

“You gotta be kidding,” Suzaku groaned as he watched them fly up. “ _This_ again!?”

The newly created weapon looked a little different than the one she wielded before -- a little more bulky, requiring more effort from Subaru to lift as she could barely raise it properly.

“Hahaha!” Roco laughed triumphantly as they steadily got higher. He expected more rockets to start flying at them, but instead a bright glow started to build at the tip of the tube, slowly expanding into a pure ball of light. “You are witnessing the **_Super Roco Launcher Mk. XV_**!If you think the first one was **_explosive_** , the **_Roco_** **_Beam_** this fires will blow you all **_sky high_**!”

“It’s over!” Subaru shouted down to her doomed opponents. “No matter what you do, we’re gonna win!”

“Shit,” Suzaku cursed. They were too high for the water to reach them now, and he struggled to come up with a new plan before that thing had them toast. “How are we supposed to beat them now!?”

“There’s a way!”

He glanced over to Yuka in surprise, seeing her stand resolutely against the impending destruction heading towards them. “What do you mean?”

“My ability,” she replied. “I didn’t tell you about it yet, but it’s something that can end this right now!”

“HUH!?” He cried out at the newly discovered fact. “Then WHY didn't we use it in the first place!?”

Yuka shook her head. “I still don’t have the experience to use it yet. If I did, it would be a huge consumption on not just my stamina, but on your energy too. I’m not sure how bad that will affect you.”

“To hell with the risks!” Suzaku answered without hesitation. Anything seemed like a better alternative of being vaporized right now. “Just do it!”

She was slightly taken aback by the quick decision of her master, but with a firm face, she did not protest the decision. “I’ll do it then.”

Readying herself, Yuka closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the air around her seemed to shift. Her body began to glow in a pink aura, her costume and twin tails blowing in the gathering wind. Suzaku wasn’t sure what it was himself, but his own body started feeling hot. Burning with a similar force that gathered around Yuka. Under her breath, she began to whisper something.

“Koiiro....”

In the sky, Subaru and Roco watched in dread at the strange power coursing through their foe.

“R-Roco!” Subaru yelled, looking impatiently at the launcher. “Why is this thing charging so slowly!?”

“It’s not my fault!” she objected. “It was a **_strain_** to make that as it is!”

The argument got cut short as the aura surrounding her body grew brighter, almost like she combusted into pink flames. What happened next only lasted for a few seconds. But within that time frame a phenomenal sight occurred.

“ENERGY!”

Yuka opened her eyes and let out a booming shout, proceeding to jump up in the air at a blinding speed towards her target. Her movement left faint afterimages, the sight causing Subaru to panic as she came closer.

“Get away!” She tried to aim her weapon at the speeding Idol, the beam at last bursting out at the right time. The crackling rod of light shot down like a thunderbolt, Suzaku hurriedly moving away before it melted a hole in the ground. As impressive as the damage might have been, Subaru and Roco’s faces fell when Yuka simply dodged the entire beam, her ascension unimpeded. Soon she rose higher than them, diving back down to deliver the finishing blow. Hastily, the artistic Idol pushed Subaru aside, hoping to draw a shield to defend themselves. Even then, it met its ultimate demise as a flurry of fists broke through it, and continued to bombard right into Roco herself.

The blinding assault finished off with one final punch, the impact sending Roco crashing into the earth. It also created a shockwave in the air that popped the balloon and sent Subaru screaming into freefall. Roco, heavily injured by the blow she received, used the last of her energy to draw one final object: another balloon that swiftly floated upward, her master catching it in time. Whatever made it float so high before seemed to falter, causing Subaru to slowly descend from her weight instead.

Smiling in satisfaction, Roco’s body began disintegrating into specks of light, gradually fading and disappearing into nothingness. Subaru’s eyes widened, reaching a hand out to her Idol desperately.

“I’m sorry... Subaru....” Roco said weakly, just before she vanished completely.

Yuka landed back down to the field, herself looking weary by the attack. Suzaku only stared at her speechlessly, still trying to process everything he just witnessed. He tried to think of something to say, but nothing could leave his mouth.

At the other end of the field, Subaru got back on the ground too, falling over from her own fatigue. Stubbornly she got up, stumbling away from the sight of battle. Noticing this, Suzaku called after her.

“Where are you going!?” He demanded, his voice feeling strained. “Get back here!”

“This... won’t be the last time you’ll see us!” Subaru yelled, moving further away from them in defeat.

Suzaku wouldn’t let her get away so easily. He attempted to move and chase after her, but the sight of Yuka collapsing onto her knees made him stop immediately.

“Hey! Yuka! Are you okay!?”

She didn’t reply to him. Instead, her own body began to undergo the same process as Roco: her form slowly faded away into particles of light that blew into the wind. Urgently, he tried to run to her, but his legs suddenly gave way and he crashed back on the wet grass. Some of the sprinklers were still working, soaking him like rain as he tried to drag himself to the disappearing girl.

“Yuka...!” He cried out one last time as his eyes grew increasingly heavy. Suzaku tried one more time, everything growing dim around him until finally, exhaustion won over and knocking him out cold.

 

* * *

 

A hero on TV once said: Live or die, the world keeps spinning. It sounded cruel to Suzaku, when he was still at the age where he played with his food. It still seemed a little mean to say, like the good deeds and sacrifices people went through didn’t matter to anyone else. But reflecting on it now, he could dig up some meaning in it. Just what it could be however, he never found out.

Like emerging from a long sleep, Suzaku’s eyes slowly fluttered open, a bright light and the sound of distant traffic invading his senses. In time, he became fully awake, realizing that this wasn’t his bedroom. It would be a mess otherwise. The confused teen sat up from the bed and scanned over his environment. Out the window, he could see the afternoon sky peeking from the slightly parted curtains. Among the small confines of the room, he noticed how neat everything looked, and how sterile everything smelled. He had some pajamas on, and one of those weird tube thingies stuck into his arm, connected to a rack beside his bed. Bandages covered up small parts of his body, and by then he had a clue about this place.

“I’m at the hospital?” He wondered aloud. The room appeared to be completely empty, but shortly after, the door opened up and walked in a man dressed in a doctor's coat, glasses worn over his strict looking face. No doubt this guy was the doctor.

“I see you're awake,” he said as a matter of factly, examining the clipboard in his hand. “Good timing. Let me introduce myself. I'm Dr. Sakuraba. I've been monitoring you these past few days.”

“Past few days?” Suzaku repeated in surprise. “How long has it been!? Where’s Nyako!?”

“If you’re talking about your pet, it’s at home,” Dr. Sakuraba answered, his tone cold and detached. “Simply put, your injuries weren't life threatening, but you've been out for three days until now. We weren't able to determine the cause, but your condition appears stable for the most part.”

“That’s how long, huh,” the young man said. At least he knew Nyako was safe, but he wished the little guy could be here right now. Who knows what his dad was trying to feed him. “Can I just leave now that I’m up?”

“We'll have to run some tests first. It's advisable you stay here a little longer before we discharge you.”

“Uhuh...” Suzaku tried to hide his disappointment. “Well I hope it's not- WAIT A MINUTE!”

The doctor frowned slightly at the spontaneous outburst. “What is it?”

“What happened to the fight!? With the explosions, the balloons, the weird art, Yuka-” He cut himself off again as that named escaped his mouth. A sinking feeling dropped in his stomach. “Yuka....”

“Please don't yell. We have other patients here in this hospital,” Sakuraba reprimanded. He crossed his arms before going into more detail. “I’m not sure who you're referring to, but you were the only one they found at your school field. You have to thank one of your teachers for finding you out there.”

“Which one?”

“Rui Maita, I believe his name was.”

“Maita-sensei?” For someone who slacked off in his English class, Suzaku felt like the eccentric teacher was too generous.

“Do you remember anything that happened?” Dr. Sakuraba continued on. “It’s a mystery how you ended up like this.”

Suzaku wanted to explain the whole thing to the doctor again. About the supernatural girls he encountered, the crazy fighting that took place. It would have made a great story, but the last detail, the one which sent his heart feeling empty, prevented him from talking about it.

“Not a clue....” He trailed off. As if he’d believe anything he’d say anyway.

Dr. Sakuraba raised a brow. “Is that so? I wonder....” Leaving it at that, he started making his way to the door. “I have to attend to other business. If you need any assistance, Nurse Yanagi will take care of your needs.”

“You’re done already?” Suzaku blinked in surprise. “You don't need to do anything else?”

“Last I checked, you were the patient, and I was the doctor,” he replied without turning his head. “I think I know what's best. Now if you'll excuse me.”

The door closed behind the callous doctor as he departed, Suzaku making a sour face at his attitude. “ _What_ _lousy_ _service_ ,” he thought. He had to remind himself that this wasn't a hotel. Didn't hurt to be treated nicely anyway, though. The displeasure served as a good distraction for a time, but the solitude only reminded him of the person he couldn’t seem to find.

“Yuka....” He repeated the name sadly. Suzaku wondered if everything he experienced was all a fantasy. That the girl who scared the crap out him at first, then won him over with her bright fighting spirit, never existed at all. Vigorously he shook his head. No, she definitely existed. She fought alongside him, and then-

The final image of her disappearing became more vivid. Against the tears that started to form in his eyes, he shouted out the only truth he knew.

“I won’t forget!” Suzaku choked out, wiping his eyes. “I never will as long as I live!” At last, the reason she came to him, he understood. He’ll keep on walking the path of a true hero. Even if she wasn’t here, he would continue to pursue it. Their bond might not have lasted for long, but the enduring memory of that time would propel him forward. To a future he could be proud of!

“ _Master?_ ”

A startled scream emerged from the passionate young man at the sudden voice. “Who is that!?”

“ _It’s me, Yuka.”_

Suzaku almost fell backwards on his bed. “Seriously....? Where are you!? His eyes darted all over the room, trying to find where she could possibly be. Did she become a ghost? Was it even possibly for a dead ghost to become another ghost!? It made no sense, but that hardly mattered.

“ _I'm here.”_

The source of the voice came to the left side of the bed, by the window. Looking in that direction, he saw a glow fade into view, growing brighter and larger until it became more human shaped. Then just as quickly as it began, the form of a short girl with black twin tails came into being.

“I'm relieved you're awake!” She exclaimed. The Idol wasn’t dressed up in her costume unlike before, wearing her ordinary looking outfit instead. “It took some time, but I recovered enough stamina to manifest physically!”

Her smile slowly changed into confusion as Suzaku just stared at her gaping, as if he just witnessed someone return from the dead. “Master...?”

She wouldn't get a straight answer. Instead, the tears he held back gushed out from Suzaku as he started bawling uncontrollably.

“E-eh?” Yuka gasped at the waterworks. “Why are you crying?”

“B-because you're alive!” He said in between sobs.

“I wasn't dead to begin with?” She watched helplessly as Suzaku kept shedding his tears, until he used his arm to dry his eyes out, sniffling all the while to regain control of himself.

“Oh, this is embarrassin’,” he admitted. Crying in front of others didn’t suit him. “B-but how are you here!? I saw you disappearing and all!”

“Ah, that,” Yuka waved her hand dismissively. “After that attack I didn’t have enough stamina left to keep up a physical form. It really drained you too, so I needed to wait longer until you had enough energy to replenish my own.”

Again with the whole ‘energy’ thing. He still couldn’t understand what it all meant. If she made an exciting multi-step tutorial video, perhaps it might grab his attention. The reasons barely mattered though. She was still standing -- the only thing he needed to know.

"Geez,” Suzaku grumbled. “Don't scare me like that. I really thought you were a goner.” He paused right after, contemplating something before he started speaking again.

“We did it, right? We won?”

“We won,” she confirmed confidently.

Suzaku let his head fall on the pillow, a little overwhelmed by all that transpired. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to come to grips about what it all meant. Nobody told him that one day he would be brawling with street punks and eating pancakes, then the next day he’d strike a friendship with a supernatural girl, taking part in insane battles with super powers. Impossible to think things would heat up so suddenly, but Suzaku no longer denied it: life after this wouldn’t be the same.

“I figured it out,” Suzaku turned back towards the Idol. “What my dream is.”

“You did?” Yuka inquired, finding her master brimming with resolve.

“Absolutely. I can't tell you enough how much I hate bad guys! I won't forgive those who look down on the weak, thinking they can do whatever they want. But it's never enough to take one down when ten other guys pop up in their place. And now that I know there are even crazier people runnin’ around, everyone is gonna be in serious trouble.”

The last fact only added to the danger of his ambitions. That wouldn't stop him though. All it did was make the road ahead more daring. He surged back up from bed in excitement, barely containing the raging fire within him.

“With all this evil everywhere, I'm gonna be a real hero! The kind whose name will scare the pants off the toughest villain! And anyone who dares to stand in our way will get burned by the hottest flames of justice! Yuka! Are ya with me!?”

“Of course!” Yuka affirmed exuberantly.“I told you that I would work hard to help you achieve your dreams! If that dream is to stand up for all that is good, then I will fight beside you with everything I’ve got!”

“Aww yeah!” Suzaku cheered, bringing his fist in the air. Then shortly after, he made a small gasp. A great epiphany struck him hard and fast.

“Oh, one thing I gotta add,” he began, the twin tailed girl watching him curiously over what he wanted to say. “I am _not_ your master!”

“Eh!?” She yelled in dismay. “What do you mean!?”

“I mean what I mean!” Suzaku nodded resolutely. “Being called ‘master’ and all.... that makes it sound like you're a servant or maid or whatever. That ain't right! You’re better than that! If me and you are gonna be fighting side by side, you’re....”

Yuka recalled the time they talked on the school bench, the day she first came into existence. The new Idol _did_ see herself as a loyal servant -- a tool to achieve his goals. But the rather bumbling teen treated her more like a friend than anything else. The shaky beginning had her worried, but to see his acceptance of her filled the new Idol with such comfort. It hadn’t been long since then, yet it already made an impression. Now, just like that moment, Yuka’s face brightened after hearing the next two words said by Suzaku.

“My comrade.”

“Comrade.... T-that makes me happy!” She exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with absolute bliss. “It really does!”

“You better believe it when I say it!” He continued. “You keep saying you’ll watch over my back, but I'll do my damn best to watch over yours, too! I'm not the best guy, but you can depend on me if you're in trouble!”

He jerked his hand forward, stopping his movement when he started feeling apprehensive about his next action. Suzaku never shook hands with a girl before. Even if he felt easy about being around Yuka, some barriers still needed to be broken. Seeing how it was a waste to spoil the moment though, he decided to just bite the bullet.

“Ya know, our first meeting was absolute crap,” he admitted, scratching the side of his head. “How about we... do things better.”

Courageously, he stretched his arm out towards her, his hand opened to invite a handshake.

“I’m Suzaku Akai! Known as the Explosive Flame Suzaku! There's a tough wall to climb, but our strongest legend settles on holding justice in our hands! Nice to meet ya!”

Without an ounce of hesitation, Yuka accepted his handshake with her small, but strong fingers.

“My name is Yuka! I'll try to cross over the other side of the wall with my hot beating heart! Nice to meet you, Ma-- No, nice to meet you, Suzaku-kun!”

Here, inside a hospital room bathed in the light of the setting sun, two passionate feelings overflowed. A new bond, one that would seek to take on a mighty responsibility. With their hands locked together, Suzaku could hardly contain another eruption of excitement.

“Damn, I can't wait to get out of this place!” He shouted, the biggest grin on his face. “I’m getting fired up thinking about it! Look out, world! Be ready for us! UWOOOOOOO BURNING!”

“OSU!” Feeling her partner’s fiery spirit, Yuka joined in as well. “BURNING!”

While the two declared their ‘BURNING’ convictions, unknown to them Dr. Sakuraba remained beside the door, a scowl of annoyance engraved on his face.

“They’re so loud....”

 

* * *

 

About a week and a half later, everything surprisingly went back to normal. Suzaku stayed at the hospital for another two days, finally able to leave once they confirmed he fully healed. The doctor advised he should still take it easy, advice Yuka reminded him of rather seriously, but it beat laying in a hospital bed all day. Nyako was delighted to have his owner come home, and Suzaku in turn was glad to have him by his side again. He and Yuka couldn't begin their new adventures without their important ally.

When he got back to S.E.M academy, he expected his classmates would crowd all over him, asking him what that big mess at the soccer field was about. Suzaku rehearsed for this moment too, prepared some smart sounding remarks without revealing too much about the epic battle that took place. Instead, no one asked him anything. None knew there was damage to the soccer field AT ALL. According to his peers, nothing strange happened to it. No one was even aware of loud explosions going off that day. Any evidence of the whole thing seemed to vanish.

Suzaku asked Maita about how he found him, but all he could make out from the complicated English was that he was just unconscious out there, but everything else looked pretty normal. The school didn’t seem to focus on the mystery of the unconscious delinquent, however. It seemed wrapped up in other mundane manners, like how someone tampered with the sprinkler system that day. Suzaku would never hear about this, but in the end it might as well be inconsequential.

No word about Subaru surfaced ever since they fought. He recalled seeing her Idol, Roco, vanish after being defeated. But if she was like Yuka, that probably meant she didn't kick the bucket just yet. Suzaku still had no clue about what they were after, but he figured it wasn't worth the effort in finding out for now. If they ever crossed paths again, they'd deal with them just like last time.

Although it seemed like they weren’t causing trouble, rumors popped up about strange artwork appearing all over the city, the artist unknown and untraceable. These rumors mingled with all the lesser ones, but it wouldn't reach the ears of those genuinely curious.

In the end, the world kept on spinning. No one at school aware that they were once on the brink of destruction. To Suzaku, this didn’t matter. Even if they didn't realize they had faced a dire threat, knowing they were safe proved good enough. That was what a hero did, right? Protect the peace that made up everyone's lives. With Yuka and Nyako at his side, true evil wouldn't know what hit em’.

If they could find true evil first.

“Hey, Yuka....” Suzaku asked apprehensively. He strode down the street at a slow pace, making another round through the busy afternoon city. The two made it a duty to ensure that no criminals were lurking about and causing mayhem on the innocent. Rather, it would _feel_ like the two of them if the dutiful Idol wasn't in spirit form. “Do you think you could, uh, be solid. It feels weird when you're all invisible.”

“ _Like I said,”_ her voice floating in the air around him. _“We’re wasting energy if I keep physically manifested constantly. It's better if I’m like this, that way we’re at 100% when we need to fight.”_

“I guess....” He mumbled. “Like we fought anyone.”

Gazing up at the afternoon sky, Suzaku considered if they should call it quits today. Their patrols didn’t yield any bad guys to beat up, and not just today, too. Since they started last week, not a trace of criminal activity showed up. And with Subaru he determined that other people with Idols were among him, ready to stir up trouble, but they didn't show up either. Like someone conveniently dealt with them before he had a chance to find them.

Sighing to himself, giving up for today seemed like a better option. He could order some pancakes at Sweetches before they closed. All the walking today made him hungry. He only hoped that airheaded, big boobed girl wasn't the one at the register today. Talking to her felt like a battle in itself. “Okay, Yuka, we’ll stop for the day--”

Something up ahead made him pause mid sentence. Actually, someone. A young man with white hair dipped with black seemed to be standing at the end of the street, focused on what appeared to be a small photo. Instantly recognizing him, Suzaku briskly walked over.

“Yo, Sora-san!” He called to the poetic student as he approached, although it seemed his words didn't reach him. Getting a little closer, Suzaku got a better glimpse of the photo Sora was looking at. It was a girl wearing a green tracksuit, her hair looking like a mess with a big pair of glasses. Seemed like one of those people who locked themselves in their rooms all day.

“Uh, Sora-san?” He tried again.

Sora himself snapped out of his thoughts, realizing Suzaku was behind him.

“Ah, Suzaku-kun.... What a surprise. Just you today?”

“Just me?” Suzaku repeated, slightly confused. “Well, Nyako’s here.” The aforementioned cat peaked over his owner’s shoulder, giving a meow in response.

“Oh, I see....” Sora trailed off before looking distracted again. This didn't escape Suzaku’s attention.

“Hey, you alright? Looks like something’s got you bothered.”

“Fufu, how observant~ I'm fascinated you can see that,” he teased, a fact lost on the dense yankee. “I’m fine.... Just looking for a friend, that's all."

“A friend?” Suzaku’s interest was piqued. “The girl in the picture?"

Sora nodded slowly. “A senior of mine. She doesn't go out a lot, but it's been troublesome finding her lately....”

“Missing, huh?” He never knew what Sora’s life was like, so getting a glimpse into what the haiku nut was up to always seemed interesting. “Sorry ‘bout hearing that.”

“No need to worry~” Sora replied, giggling a little. “I’m sure I’ll find her soon enough.... Well then, I best be going now. Was nice crossing paths with you~”

With a wave of goodbye, Sora parted ways, blending in with the crowd passing through. The brief meeting over, Suzaku continued onwards, any thoughts concerning Sora’s friend pushed aside by the mouth watering prospect of big, fluffy pancake stacks. His pace quickened, eager to make it to the sweets shop and make that fantasy into reality.

“ _Suzaku-kun, where are we going now?”_ Yuka asked as a dumb smile lit up his face.

“We’re calling it a night and getting some pancakes! I know a damn good place to buy them too.”

“ _You really like pancakes that much_?” She asked with fascination. “ _Do they taste that delicious?”_

“WHAT!?” Suzaku bursted out in shock. The people walking near him grew confused and startled at the spontaneous reaction, to what they perceived as him shouting to the wind. “Pancakes are good! I love pancakes! You gotta try some when we get there! And don't give me that baloney about not needing food. You haven't lived until you had some!”

“ _I-is that so....”_ Although he couldn’t see her expression, her tone suggested skepticism.

Waiting at a crosswalk, Suzaku peered ahead, seeing the fancy cabin looking building at the opposite end of the block. The lack of a line busting out the door put him at ease, since the establishment got super busy later on in the day. They better be ready when he walked in: a man needed his pancakes, and he needed to turn Yuka into a true believer. Just a couple more seconds and....

Anticipating the crosswalk signal to give the all clear, Suzaku noticed something while staring at the Sweetches building: a girl hurriedly ran along the adjacent sidewalk. That by itself wouldn't have caught his attention, but from the brief moment he saw her, Suzaku noticed the green tracksuit she wore, along with her messy hair and glasses.

“Hold on.... Isn't that the friend Sora-san was searching for?”

Although her senses weren't as sharp in spirit form, Yuka could still make out the similarities. “ _I think she is.”_

"Great, just when we saw him,” he complained. Too bad he didn’t have Sora’s number either.

They watched her continue to the end of the street before rounding a corner, the crosswalk light signified that they could cross. Suzaku started walking to the other end, contemplating if he should go after her or just leave it to Sora. If they were nearby, how hard could it be for them to bump into each other? He was ready to make peace with the latter option, the pancakes just mere feet away from his grasp. But by the time he reached the middle of the road, a new scene caught his eye.

A young man, with swept back hair and glasses over his sharp eyes, ran at a furious pace across from him. Beside him followed a girl with glasses of her own, wearing a strange, blue costume. As he watched them, moving against the people walking by, his eyes widened when he discovered the girl was actually _floating._ With awe he saw them disappear around the corner, until he remembered they were in the middle of the road, quickly dashing to the other side of the street.

 _“_ W-wait a minute, were they-”

 _“They were,”_ Yuka confirmed seriously. “ _Look, they were heading in the same direction as that girl.”_

A cold wind of intimidation swept over Suzaku, but as he tightened his fist, he instantly knew what they had to do. What kind of trouble she was in, and what those people were after, he had no clue. Only that someone needed help, and he couldn't be a man’s man if he turned them down. The pancakes could wait for later.

“Let's go after em’!”

With Yuka giving her agreement, they ran after their trail, and into the unknown world that would truly change everything. Whoever those shady looking guys were, they had better be ready once they saw their wings of justice. Because if they weren't, they'd surely be burned away.

 

* * *

 

**Idol Profile Part 2**

 

 **Idol** : Yuka

 **Idolmaster** : Suzaku Akai

 **Attack** : A

 **Guard** : C

 **Stamina** : E

 **Speed** : B

 **Distance** : E

 **Bond** : E **→ D**

**Ability Name: Koiiro Energy**

**Koiiro** **Energy** grants Yuka a temporary boost in strength and speed, moving three times faster than before. The destructive power of this state is capable of wrecking an entire building. The downside to such an ability is it only lasts for several seconds. An even bigger weakness is that unlike other new Idols who can freely use their abilities from the start, Yuka’s low stamina means that she cannot support using her own ability without draining a lot from Suzaku as well, leaving them extremely exhausted and unable to fight for a long period of time. Until she and Suzaku develop a better stamina pool, it is best kept as a last resort against a strong, single foe.

 

 

 **Idol** : Roco

 **Idolmaster** : Subaru Nagayoshi

 **Attack** : E

 **Guard** : C

 **Stamina** : B

 **Speed** : E

 **Distance** : D

 **Bond** : C

**Ability Name: IMPRESSION→LOCOMOTION!**

With her artistic skills, **IMPRESSION→LOCOMOTION!** allows Roco to ‘draw’ an object and bring it into real life. She can create items ranging from costumes to actual weaponry. While a power that has much potential, it does have several weaknesses. Roco cannot wield any weapons she makes, with Subaru being the only one who can. Simple objects (like a baseball bat) takes less stamina to make, while objects with complex mechanisms and properties (rocket launchers, balloons) require significantly more. As Roco’s Stamina is close to depletion, objects she creates are more susceptible to being faulty and unreliable. Finally, the most glaring weakness is that everything she makes is weak to water. Enough of it will cause anything she makes to break down and melt into a pile of goop. Even with these weaknesses in mind, the ability still gives Roco and Subaru an impressive edge in battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being, much, much longer than anticipated, but it was a lot of fun to write. Hope you managed to enjoy it as well!
> 
>  
> 
> And if you haven't already, please pre-register for the new SideM rhythm game: Live on St@ge! http://side-m.idolmaster.jp/lo-stage/


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